Lady Avatar
by colorcrystals
Summary: Aang, Sokka, and Katara are walking through the woods when they meet someone unexpected. Katara and this visitor are captured by Zhao and then by Zuko. Much better than summary. It will be Zutara in later chapters and will have OCxOC pairing. NO FLAMES!
1. A Walk in the Woods

**Hi everyone! Thanks for reading my story. I know it is probably not that good but please keep in mind that I'm not good at writing fanfiction. Anyway, here is the story.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Avatar would I be wasting my time writing this fanfiction?

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**_A Walk in the Woods_**

"Aang, why can't we fly on Appa?" Sokka whined.

"We've been over this Sokka. Prince Zuko's ship is nearby. If we fly on Appa, he'll see us." Katara told her brother for the hundredth time.

"I was talking to Aang, Katara." Sokka snapped.

They looked at Aang and saw him staring at the trees.

"You alright Aang?" Katara asked the airbender with a worried expression across her face.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You've seen kind of distant since yesterday."

"Maybe he's hungry Katara. Or maybe he's sick because of your awful cooking." Katara opened her canteen and sent a water whip Sokka's head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"That was for being an insensitive jerk and thinking more about your stomach than what is wrong with Aang!" she yelled at her brother. Sokka just crossed his arms and pouted.

"Aang, what is wrong. You can tell me." Katara tried to get her friend to confide in her.

"I just have this strange feeling that we're being followed." Aang told her with a sigh.

"Of course someone's following us Aang. His name is Prince Zuko." Katara sent a water ball at Sokka so he would shut up. Thankfully, it worked and he started pouting again.

"It's not Zuko. I feel like I know this person, but I don't know who it is." the twelve year old Avatar sighed.

"How long have you felt like we're being followed, Aang?" Katara asked him.

"Ever since we landed Appa."

"My instincts tell me that Prince Zuko is the one following us." Sokka told them.

"Well that settles the matter. If Sokka's instincts tell him that Zuko is the only one following us then he is. After all, Sokka's instincts are always right." Katara said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Why thank you Katara." Sokka smiled.

"I was being sarcastic." Sokka glared at his sister.

"Can you guys stop fighting for one minute?" Aang yelled.

"No." the siblings said together.

"Well, you guys are going to have to. I'm getting really worried. I know that Prince Zuko isn't the only one following us. Someone is in the trees."

"Do you think it could be Jet?" Katara asked Aang urgently. Just because she was a master waterbender now didn't mean that she wanted to the boy who was going to sacrifice an entire Earth Kingdom village to kill a few Fire Nation soldiers.

"No. I think this person is an airbender."

"That can't be. You're the last one." Sokka told him.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with Sokka. You are the last airbender Aang." Katara told him regretfully. Why did she have to be the one to crush his hopes that he wasn't the only one left of the Air Nomads like that?

"Are you sure about that?" They all whipped around to face the person who the new voice belonged to.

They were surprised to see a sixteen year old girl dressed in a light silver training outfit that went wonderfully with her long blonde hair. She carried a staff almost identical to Aang's. She wore a pendent shaped like a crown with four precious gems around her neck and had eyes to match her outfit.

"Hello Aang."

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**Me: Did you guys hate it?**

**Gidget: Of course they did.**

**Me: Be quiet. What you know? You're just a dog. Just do your job.**

**Gidget: Ok. Don't forget to R'n'R. There, happy?**

**Me: Yes. Just so you guys know the training outfit is supposed to look like the dress that Ella wore at the end of Ella Enchanted after she took of the skirt of the wedding dress. The only difference is that it doesn't have long sleeves.**


	2. Another Airbender

**Me: People liked my story! Ok so it was only two.**

**Gidget: Just do the declaimer already.**

**Me: sticks tongue out at Gidget Fine!**

**Disclaimer: I don't even own this computer. How the heck do you expect me to own Avatar?**

**_Another Airbender

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"Who are you?" Aang asked the girl, prepared to defend his friends.

"There will be no need to fight me young Avatar."

Aang didn't lower his air staff. "Who are you?"

"You would know me best by my title. I am Air Queen Sarah, Lady Avatar, Master Airbender, Lady of the Southern Air Temple, Daughter of Air Queen Serena and Air King Keith." As soon as she finished speaking Aang bowed.

"I didn't know your Majesty. I'm sorry for almost attacking you."

"Aang, stand up. There is no need to bow little brother."

"Prince Zuko!" Uncle Iroh called as he threw open his nephew's bedroom door.

"What is it Uncle?" Zuko asked, furious with his uncle for disturbing him while he was meditating.

"I have a letter from your father."

Zuko snatched the letter from his uncle and tore it open. His heart was racing. Had his father finally decided to let him come home? He read it and his heart sank. Zuko handed the letter to Iroh and said, "I want to be alone."

Iroh read the letter that had depressed the sixteen year old prince. "Zuko, what is the matter? Your father says that my Uncle James is coming aboard. You always loved James." When Zuko didn't respond Iroh spoke again, "You were expecting to be let home weren't you? Maybe you should join me for tea. It'll make you feel better."

"I hate tea. Get out of my room." Iroh did as his nephew told him, trying not to upset him more.

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"What do you mean by little brother?" Aang asked the Air Queen suspiciously.

"Yeah, and what do you mean Lady Avatar? They are only supposed to be four and they are all dead." Katara questioned with as much suspicion as Aang.

"I'll explain everything but first we must move deeper into the forest. Did you know that this island belongs to the Fire Nation? I know you were trying to get away from Zuko but running into a Fire Nation camp is even more dangerous. You can't hide Appa forever."

"How did you know Appa was up there?" Sokka asked pointing at the clouds.

"Even a blind airbender would know he was up there. I can't answer any more questions here. We have to get to a safety."

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**Me: I hope every one likes this chapter.**

**Gidget: Whatever. Just get on with it.**

**Me: Who knew a dog could be so grumpy.**

**Gidget: She could go on forever so I'm just gonna get this over. R'n'R!**

**Aang: Wait a minute. I want to know what happens!**

**Me: You'll have to wait until the next chapter.**

**Aang: That's not fair.**

**Me: Yes it is.**

**Aang: No it's not. Just because you're the author doesn't mean it's fair.**

**Me: Like you just said, I'm the author. If I say it's fair then it's fair.**


	3. A Dark Past

**Me: Wow. I'm on a role. I just started this last night and now I'm on the third chapter.**

**Gidget: Don't expect her to keep up this pace.**

**Me: Hey! That wasn't nice.**

**Aang: I wanna know why Sarah called me little brother.**

**Sarah: Can I just tell him?**

**Me: No! You tell him in the story.**

**Zuko: When do I come back into the story?**

**Iroh: Would any of you like some tea?**

**Everyone: NO!**

**Me: This is getting way out of control.**

**Gidget: No duh.**

**Me: Shut up.**

**Gidget: I'll only shut up if you give me a treat. Wait a minute. Didn't your parents say that you aren't aloud to say shut up due to over usage?**

**Me: If you want a treat I suggest that you go away. gives Gidget a treat**

**Gidget: TREAT!**

**Disclaimer: I own Sarah and this plot but unfortunately, not Avatar.**

**Me: On with the story. Just so you all know it is night in this chapter.**

**Gidget: TREAT!

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**_A Dark Past_**

Dinner came too soon for Prince Zuko. He wanted to stay in his room but his uncle insisted on his presence at the dinner table.

"The letter says that we are to meet my uncle at the port in the village on this island. We're very lucky. We know that the Avatar is on the island and we don't have to go back to the capital." Uncle Iroh said trying to start a conversation as Zuko picked at his food.

"I'm not hungry Uncle. I'm going to bed."

"Good night Prince Zuko. If you want I can bring up some tea."

"No. I hate tea. Good night Uncle." Zuko walked back to his room and plopped on his bed. Why had he expected his father to allow him to come home after he had been banished for two years? Soon he fell into a fitful sleep.

Sarah led them through the woods. Her every movement enchanted Aang. She moved so gracefully. It was no wonder that the Air Nomads all loved her. What had she meant by little brother? After about an hour of non-stop running they came to a small hut.

"Go inside." Sarah ushered them in.

"Now I know you have a lot of questions. Where should I begin?"

Katara and Sokka decided to keep silent and let Aang ask the questions.

"How long have you been following us?"

"I've been looking for you since you left the North Pole. I've been following you since yesterday evening when you landed."

"Why did you say you are the Lady Avatar? There are only supposed to be four and they are all dead."

"As we all know Lady Avatar Flairese was killed when she was twenty. She never had a chance to learn earthbending and airbending. She was supposed to be able to stop this war by training benders of every nation. If she had lived the Fire Nation wouldn't have been able to attack because the other nations would be too strong. Since she was killed she wasn't able to finish what she was supposed to."

"What is that?"

"Honestly, I don't know. All I know is that I'm the fifth Lady Avatar because I have to finish what she didn't. I have to help stop this horrid war."

"Ok. Next question. Why did you call me little brother?"

"Before I tell you Aang, you must know that I only had the best intentions at heart. I'm not the only airbender in this little hut with a title. Would you like to know what yours is?"

"Yes."

"Your title is Air Prince Aang, Avatar, Master Airbender, Lord of the Southern Air Temple, Son of Air Queen Serena and Air King Keith, Heir to Air Queen Sarah."

"Why didn't any one ever tell me I was your brother?" Aang couldn't believe what Sarah was telling him.

"I wanted to keep you safe." Sarah held back tears but Aang could see them glistening in her silver eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"Keep me safe from what?"

"Our father."

"Why did you have to keep me safe from our father?"

"Where you ever told about the rebel airbenders and how they attacked us?"

"All the kids were."

"Our father led them. Aang, what do you know about Air King Keith?"

"Not much. We never really learned about him, just you."

"He was a firebender."

"Aang, don't trust her! She's from the Fire Nation!" Sokka jumped in front of Aang with his boomerang ready.

"No I'm not. If you had sat and listened to what I'm about to say you would have never come to that conclusion. I hate the Fire Nation just as much, if not more, as you."

"If you hate them so much why was your boyfriend a firebender?" Aang asked.

"Not all firebenders are bad. James was very kind. He was the only one I could turn to for a long time."

"Why do you hate the Fire Nation so much?" Katara thought it would be a good time to intervene because of the miserable face on the young Air Queen's face.

"Like I said, our father was a firebender and he led the air rebels. He also killed our mother."

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**_Flashback_**

"_Come on Lizzie. We have to get back to the Eastern Air Temple for the meeting with the Fire Nation prince." Six year old Sarah impatiently told her five year old sister._

"_I know Sarah. Can I please go pick some flowers? It'll only take a second."_

_Lizzie pleaded._

"_Fine. Just be quick."_

"_Thank you Sarah. You're the best big sister ever." Lizzie hugged her and ran off._

_Sarah looked down at her two year old brother Aang and sighed. "I guess we'll just have to wait for her."_

"_Queen Sarah!"_

"_What is it?" she asked the soldier that had called her name._

"_The air rebels are attacking."_

"_Take Aang back to the temple and don't let him out of your sight. I have to look for Lizzie." Sarah ran. She had to reach Lizzie._

_All of a sudden she hit something. She looked up and saw her father. "Father, the air rebels are attacking and Lizzie is still out there. We have to find her." she got up and started to turn when she saw her father wasn't moving._

"_Father, what's wrong?" Sarah knew something was wrong. As she tried to figure out what it was her father threw a fire ball at her. Luckily the air told her and she put her arm up to shield her face._

_She cried out in pain as it hit her left shoulder and she fell to the ground again. Tears formed in her eyes. She heard someone shout "Father!"_

_It was Lizzie. Sarah saw her father form another fire ball._

'_No. Not Lizzie.' she thought to herself. Unlike Sarah, Lizzie wasn't a bender. There would be no air warning for her little sister._

"_Lizzie! Get back!" It was too late. Her father had sent the fire ball. Sarah tried to stop it with the air but it didn't work._

"**_LIZZIE!"_** _Sarah screamed as her sister landed on the ground with a thud, never to breathe again. _

"_How could you? How could you kill your own daughter?" Sarah yelled as she sent a blast of air at her father. Suddenly it dawned on her. "You killed Mother." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Why hadn't she seen it before? Why hadn't she realized that her mother's 'mysterious death' was murder? Why hadn't she realized that her father was the murderer? He didn't allow anyone else into her mother's chamber when she was sick. The doctor had said that her mother only had a little cold and should stay in bed for a few days. Sarah had seen her mother's lifeless corpse. She had seen the burns when she looked in her mother's coffin when she wasn't supposed to. Why hadn't she figured it out? After all her father was the only firebender there._

"_It took you long enough to put two and two together, little dove." Sarah hated him and his little nickname for her. He sent a fire ball at her, but she pushed away with the air. They fought and Sarah obtained countless burns, but it was soon over. Keith sent another fire ball and Sarah sent a blast of air at the exact same time. The two attacks hit with such tremendous force that it sent Sarah and her father flying back in opposite directions._

_Sarah woke up at the sound of voices. She opened her eyes and saw two soldiers and an Air Council member standing over her._

_A soldier picked her up. "It's alright Queen Sarah. You're safe now." Sarah managed to look over to where her father's body should have been. It wasn't there. That meant he was still alive. She decided not to worry about that at the moment and fell into a deep sleep._

_**End Flashback **_

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"So your father killed your mother and your sister." Katara said but she still couldn't believe it. The Fire Nation had killed their mother but she couldn't imagine losing Sokka. Similar thoughts were going through his head at the same time.

"I can't believe our father killed our family." Aang thought hard on what Sarah had told them about that day. Suddenly he whispered, "I remember." Visions of that day raced through his head. He remembered the warmth of this big sister's hand around his. He remembered Lizzie's face as she pleaded with Sarah to let her go pick flowers, and not knowing that it would be the last time he would see her.

"I thought you might."

"I can see it so clearly. It's like it only happened yesterday."

"So can I Aang, and I've relived it every day for the past 110 years."

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**Me: What do you think?**

**Gidget: -sobs- It's so sad! -sobs more-**

**Sarah: Why do I have to have such an awful past?**

**Me: I'm the author. If I want you to have an awful past you have an awful past.**

**Sarah: How rude!**

**Aang: I don't like our father.**

**Sokka: I still don't trust Sarah.**

**Me: That shows what an idiot you are. Don't forget to review!**


	4. Fire Prince James

**Me: Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't updated for a while.**

**Gidget: I told you she couldn't keep up her fast pace.**

**Me: Hey! It's called writer's block.**

**Gidget: No, it's called being lazy.**

**Me: Ok. So I was lazy, but I couldn't think of what to write, so it's still called writer's block.**

**Gidget: Sure it is and I can do the cancan.**

**Me: I didn't know a dog could do the cancan.**

**Sarah: Just get on with the story. I'm bored.**

**Me: R'n'R!

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**_Fire Prince James_**

"Prince Zuko, wake up!" Iroh exclaimed as he saw that his nephew was still asleep.

"What time is it?" Zuko mumbled.

"It's dawn. You're usually up by now. Is something wrong?"

"No." Zuko told the truth.

"I guess you were just tired. I would be to if all I did was chase after the Avatar. Anyway, we pulled into the port in the town and Uncle James should be aboard soon."

Zuko got out of bed reluctantly and literally pushed Iroh out of his room so he could get dressed.

Iroh was shocked by this and decided to go get some tea.

An hour later, Prince James boarded the ship. He immediately went looking for Zuko. It wasn't that hard since Zuko was in his room meditating. James sensed his nephew meditating and knew he would not like being disturbed. James quietly opened the door and walked in, shutting the door in the same manner in which he had opened it.

"Hello Uncle."

"Hello Zuko. Having fun?" Zuko smiled and got up. James gave him a hug that lasted for an entire minute.

"It's good to see you Uncle James."

"What did I tell you about calling me Uncle?"

"I forgot. You told me never, in a million years, to call you Uncle."

"Good. Now that we've got that straight, I missed you so much. You've grown since I last saw you. I can't believe it's only been two years. It seems like twenty."

"I'm on the trail of the Avatar. I'll be able to come home soon. Why did you want to come aboard?"

James sighed and said, "Let's go and talk on the deck."

They walked up to the deck silently. Once they were there James said, "I'm searching for something of mine that is lost."

"What would that be?"

"You'll learn in time." There was an awkward silence between them until James spoke again, "You have many questions Zuko. Ask them and I will answer in the way I think best."

"You're 116 years old yet you look like you're my age. How is that possible?"

"I'll tell you when the time is right. Now however is not right."

"Why didn't you become Fire Lord before Great-Grandfather? You were the oldest."

"As you know, the girl I loved disappeared. You also know that in order to become Fire Lord, I had to get married. I could never marry any other girl than the one who disappeared."

"Why?"

"I loved her more than anyone else in the world. I would have given up my life for if I had to."

"Why did she disappear? Did she not love you?"

"No, she loved me. She was my girlfriend for seven years. We meet when we were six."

"Why does Uncle Iroh love tea so much?"

James laughed. "Sometimes I wonder about that myself. I have no idea where he got his obsession with tea. He certainly didn't get it from your grandfather. We both loathed the stuff. Let's go find you're uncle. I want lunch."

"James?" James turned to his nephew. "What nation was she from?"

"She was from the Air Nation."

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**Me: I could be really mean and stop the story right here.**

**Gidget: You don't have the heart to be that evil.**

**Me: Are you sure about that?**

**Gidget: Yes, or I would be living on the streets by now.**

**Me: I hate it when you're right. Here's the rest of the chapter. Just so you all know this part happens at the same time as the first part, so it starts off at dawn. **

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The light crept into the little hut that Sarah had brought Aang, Sokka, and Katara to the night before and woke them all up. Sarah showed them a little stash of delicious berries and nuts hidden beneath the floor.

"Sarah, you never finished telling us your story." Katara said as they ate breakfast.

"You're right Katara. Aang, do you have anymore questions?"

"Yeah. How did you live so long? I mean, you're 116 yet you look like you're 16."

Sarah held out her hand to Aang and said, "Do you see my ring?"

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes Aang, it's a Ring of Eternity."

"What's a Ring of Eternity?" Sokka asked and Katara shot him a nasty glare. They needed to be silent so Aang could have all of his questions answered.

"A Ring of Eternity is a ring that the airbenders made long ago. The ring has powers and not even those who made it knew all of them. All I know is that it can keep you young forever. I hate this stupid ring for making me live 100 years and not let me join my family in the spirit world."

"Does it do anything else?" Sokka asked again.

"If you had been paying attention to anything I just said you would have heard that not all of its powers are known. You are such an idiotic pea brain."

"Does it work on other benders, besides airbenders I mean?" Katara thought it was time to direct Sarah's attention away from Sokka.

"Not unless it is given by an airbender."

"How did you meet James?" Aang questioned as Katara pulled Sokka against the wall so they could become living wallflower.

"How about I just tell you what happened after I was brought back to the Eastern Air Temple?"

"That works too."

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_**Flashback**_

_Sarah awoke in the infirmary in the Eastern Air Temple. She asked the healer's apprentice that was in her room, "How long have I been here?"_

"_Three hours Your Majesty." the young girl said as Sarah tried to get up pain shot up her back._

"_The healer says that you need to rest until tomorrow and that you shouldn't get up."_

"_Where are you from?"_

"_My father was an airbender but my momma was a waterbender. They died when I was three."_

"_Are you an airbender or a waterbender?"_

"_I'm a waterbender. That's why I became a healer's apprentice."_

"_What's your name?"_

"_I'm Sapphire, Miss."_

"_Did you heal my burns?"_

"_Yes, but I couldn't heal your back. I'm terribly sorry."_

"_How old are you?"_

"_I'm six."_

_**End Flashback **_

_**

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"Wait a minute. What does this have to do with anything?" Sokka spoke up, tired of being a wallflower. Katara slapped him.

"Listen and you'll find out." Sarah replied.

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_**Flashback**_

_The next morning, Sarah woke up refreshed and restored. Sapphire brought her breakfast and helped her get dressed as they laughed about the rumors that the kitchen maids spread._

"_Mis-"Sarah cut Sapphire off.-_

"_Call me Sarah."_

"_Ok Sarah. I was told that you need to go to the throne room as soon as possible."_

"_I'll see you later Sapphire." Sarah would have run to the throne room but her back ached._

"_Hello Queen Sarah." one of the Air Council members said._

"_Hello. I was told you needed me."_

"_Yes, we have decided to have your sister's funeral tomorrow afternoon. Is that all right with you?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Good. The Fire Prince will be staying for the funeral. He wanted to know when he could meet with you."_

"_Now would be a good time." Sarah answered as she went to sit in her throne._

_The Council went to inform the prince. About ten minutes later, he entered with two guards which he quickly dismissed._

"_Hello Queen Sarah. I am Fire Prince James. I'm sorry about your sister's death. Please accept my condolences."_

"_Thank you Prince James. It is unfortunate that we have to meet under such terrible circumstances. Why did you want to meet with me?"_

"_Well as we both know my little sister Ruby, has been living her for a year. I would like to know the safety measures you are taking to protect her since the air rebels have begun attacking."_

"_You would have to ask the Air Council. All I know is that she has several of our best soldiers guarding her room. Her room is right next to ours so if anything were to happen to her I would know long before it happened. The air would also alert me if anything was amiss."_

"_This is very reassuring. Thank you Queen Sarah."_

"_You are very welcome Prince James." He started to leave but Sarah called out to him. "Prince James!'_

_He turned, "Yes?"_

"_Call me Sarah."_

"_Alright Sarah, call me James." they both laughed like the six years olds they were._

_**End Flashback

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**_

"James was the Fire Prince!" Aang exclaimed when Sarah finished.

"I knew we couldn't trust her!" Sokka jumped in front of Aang again.

Sarah sent a gust of wind at him and asked. "Why can't you trust me, Sokka? Please, explain what goes on inside of that brain of yours. Wait a minute. You don't have a brain." Sarah, Katara, and Aang burst out laughing.

"That wasn't funny."

"Yes it was." Katara told her brother as she tried to stop laughing.

"Sarah, what happened next?" Aang said after he had stopped laughing.

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**Me: Did you all like this chapter? It was pretty long compared to what I usually write but it's because of the flashbacks.**

**Gidget: That was actually pretty good.**

**Sarah: At least she was nice for once.**

**Me: I think she's starting to learn manners.**

**Sokka: I think you should kill Sarah off.**

**Sarah: I heard that and I'm going to kill you. -runs after Sokka who is screaming like a girl as he tries to get away- Look what I found. It's Sokka's boomerang. -throws it at Sokka's head- Yay! I got him! -Sokka is knocked out cold-**

**Katara: Well we can't have the next chapter until he wakes up.**

**Sarah: I never thought of that. Oh well. He deserved it.**

**Katara: I guess we'll just have to wait until he wakes up.**

**Me: Sarah will be 516 years old by the time he wakes up.**

**Aang: Maybe he'll wake up if Appa sits on him. -blows bison whistle and Appa sits on Sokka-**

**Me: That didn't work. Oh well. R'n'R!**


	5. Airbender Island

**Me: Hey everybody! Sorry about forgetting to do the disclaimer in the last chapter.**

**Gidget: I don't want to be sued!**

**Me: You wouldn't be sued. I would. **

**Gidget: That's a relief. I'll go call Nickelodeon and report you.**

**Me: I think you're forgetting something.**

**Gidget: And what would that be.**

**Me: You can't hold the phone.**

**Gidget: Damn it. You're right. I hate not having thumbs.**

**Disclaimer: I'd trade Gidget for Avatar any day. I do own James, Sarah, and the nickel I found under the couch.

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**_Airbender Island_**

"James attended Lizzie's funeral with me. The rest I will tell you another day."

"Why can't you tell us now?" Sokka asked the mysterious airbender.

"The time isn't right."

"When will the time be right?" Katara tried to pry the answer out of Sarah.

"I don't know."

"Well, I think that's enough memories for now." Katara told them, not quite satisfied with Sarah's answer. Sarah's stories had taken several hours and it was past noon.

"We should get going. We still have to get some more supplies." Sokka stated.

"Come to my village. There we can get supplies for free." Sarah said.

"I don't think that is such a good idea." Sokka was obviously still suspicious of Sarah.

"Why not?" Sarah challenged.

"My instincts tell me that you can't be trusted."

"Okay. I'll go back to my village. You've just passed up free supplies and food. Good luck on helping Aang save the world Sokka." Sarah opened the door of the hut and walked out.

"Sarah, wait!" Katara ran after her. Sarah stopped and waited for Katara to catch up.

"Sarah, please don't leave. Aang needs you. Don't leave because of what my idiotic brother said."

"We need to stop at my village. It's been a long time since they have had hope and I know that seeing the Avatar will give it back to them." Tears fell off of her face as she spoke.

"We should go back." Sarah nodded and wiped away her tears.

"Are you okay Sarah?" Aang asked when they got back.

"I'm fine Aang. We should go to my village. Like I said, we can get free food and supplies there."

"Where do you live anyway?" Aang asked.

"My village is located on a small island. All that is left of the Air Nomads live there."

"There are more airbenders?" Aang asked with his eyes full of hope.

"No. We're the last. Those who live there can't bend."

"We should get going." Katara said. Aang called Appa and the all climbed on top. They left the island that they were on, but little did they know that someone saw them and followed.

"My village has yet to be discovered by the Fire Nation. We'll be safe there." Sarah told them not long after they had left.

"Sarah, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course Aang."

"When the Fire Nation attacked the Air Temples, did they kill everyone?"

"No Aang. After I heard that you had run away I went to the Temple you had lived at. I spent three years looking for you. That's when the Fire Nation attacked."

"What happened?" Katara and Sokka kept silent as Aang asked his questions.

"Not long after I got back from my search Fire Nation soldiers appeared. We weren't prepared. They had been our allies since I had dated James. I don't know why I expected them to still be our allies."

"Why not?"

"I sort of dropped out of existence after you disappeared. They attacked quickly. I was rushed to the temple. I snuck away from my guards and went to fight. I couldn't let everyone fight while I was safe in the Temple. I ran into some of your friends. They were scared and had just escaped the battle. They told me that we had lost. I took them to the bison and we flew away. Several days later we found the Airbender Island. No one there was a bender so there was no army that we could create to fight back. Three weeks later we went to each of the Air Temples." Sarah was shaking as she sobbed at what she told them. These were not memories she wanted to relive.

"What did you find?"

"Everyone was dead. Not even the children had been spared. Your friends and I were the last airbenders. We all wanted revenge but there were only about twenty of us. We wouldn't have stood a change against the Fire Nation's armies so we decided to devote our time and energy to protecting the Air Nomads on Airbender Island."

"What happened to my friends?"

"They all died whether it was because they fought in a battle against the Fire Nation with the Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe and were killed or they died of old age."

"We're approaching an island." Sokka stated.

Sarah looked over the edge and exclaimed, "That's Airbender Island." Soon after, they landed.

They were greeted with spears and swords pointed at them but when the villagers saw Sarah, they were lowered.

"Queen Sarah!" the children called as they ran up to her. She hugged each of them and told them how much she missed them.

After she was finished she stood up and said, "I would like to introduce my little brother Aang, the Avatar."

Joy rang through the crowd at these words. Aang, Katara, and Sokka were given rooms in Sarah's house and new clothes to wear while their old ones were being mended.

Later that evening the four companions sat around the table for dinner in their newly mended clothes.

"Are you happy that we stopped here now Sokka?" Sarah teased.

"I guess." It was almost impossible to distinguish what he had said but somehow Sarah knew.

"Queen Sarah!" A soldier burst through the door.

"What is it?"

"A Fire Nation ship has been spotted just off shore of the beach past the forest."

"No, that's not possible. How did they find us?"

"They must have followed Appa." Aang said.

"What will we do Milady?"

"Get ready to fight. Get the women and children to safety and prepare for battle." Sarah ordered.

"Yes Milady." He ran out of the house.

"Katara, I need you to take Aang and your brother with the women and children. I'll go out to meet them."

"We're going with you Sarah." Aang insisted.

"No Aang. The world needs you. The people of this island need you.'

"The people need you Sarah, not me. You've led them for years. You've always protected them and I'm not going to let you get killed."

"We're going with you Sarah." Sokka said.

"Do you mean it Sokka? You'd really help me protect this island?" Sokka's words had touched Sarah's heart.

"Would I say that we're going with you if I didn't mean it?" They all hugged.

"We have to keep them away from the village. I won't let them destroy the rest of my people. Aang, take Appa and fly away from the island. Make sure that they see that you are on Appa. Katara, I'll need you to help me keep them away from the island. You can bend the water and I'll use my airbending to send it to the ship. Sokka, I need you to stay with me and Katara in case they make it to the shore." They all nodded and ran outside.

The village was chaos. Women were running everywhere, grabbing their children and heading in the opposite direction of the ship. Aang jumped on Appa and flew towards the ship as Katara, Sokka, and Sarah ran into the forest. They ran past the trees and found themselves at the beach. Katara sent a wave of water and Sarah used the air to send it at the ship. The ship kept advancing on the island. No matter what Aang did the ship kept its course.

Sarah abandoned her airbending and began to waterbend with Katara. Nothing they did helped.

"Katara, we have to keep them away from the island. I've kept my people out of this war for 100 years and I'm not about to let them get dragged into it now." Sarah shouted over the sound of the thunder that came with the storm that was just beginning.

"Sarah, it's a lost cause. Even Aang is coming back. The storm is too rough and nothing we do is affecting the ship." Katara pulled Sarah into the forest as little boats were launched from the ship.

* * *

**Me: This happened right after the four companions set out for Airbender Island. ****

* * *

**

"Prince Zuko! The Avatar has been spotted!" A soldier burst through the door to the dining room where Iroh, Zuko, and James ate lunch.

Zuko jumped up and ordered, "Follow him." The soldier bowed and left.

Not long after the order another soldier entered Zuko's room and reported, "We've spotted another Fire Nation ship not far ahead of us, Prince Zuko."

"No! Zhao can't be ahead of us. He just can't be."

"Zuko, what's going on?" James asked as he entered his great-nephew's room.

"Zhao is ahead of us." At these words James dismissed the guards and sat on Zuko's bed.

"This isn't good. We can't let him capture the Avatars."

"What do you mean Avatars? There's only one."

"I meant Avatar. When you're 116 you tend to make things plural."

"Okay." Zuko was suspious of his uncle.

All of a sudden the ship was hit in the side by a wave and caused Zuko to fall.

"Prince Zuko, there's a bad storm. The captain wants to know if we turn around or not." The soldier from before said.

"We stay on course. Head for the island." Zuko was shocked when James gave the command. Unfortunately, the ship ahead of them was already launching boats to go ashore.

* * *

**Me: You guys are lucky. I'm sick and I got on the computer to finish this chapter.**

**Gidget: I'm even being nice to her because she's been sick for three days.**

**Sarah: How could you have me give up? I need to protect my people!**

**Me: Stop yelling. I already have a headache. Just wait until the next chapter.**

**Gidget: R'n'R**


	6. Run

**Me: I'm sick yet I'm still writing this chapter. I love my reviewers way too much.**

**Gidget: Just get to the disclaimer. I want to go take a nap.**

**Me: First I would like to dedicate to Patience Halliwell for making me write this chapter because of her review on chapter four. She has also been my most faithful reviewer.**

**Disclaimer: Use your common sense. Would I be doing a disclaimer if I owned Avatar?

* * *

**

**_Run_**

Aang landed moments after Sarah, Sokka, and Katara reached the forest.

"We have to keep them away from my village. We have to fight." Sarah pleaded.

"We'll fight. Maybe we can get them to follow us over the ocean if we fly on Appa." Aang suggested.

"The boats are about to land." Katara said urgently.

"At least I know the terrain of the forest. I can keep them away from here, but I'll need your help Aang."

"Of course I'll help Sarah. Just tell me what to do."

"I need you to help me create a shield. We can probably hold it for several hours if we need to."

"Aang! Look out!" Katara screamed as a fireball was sent at the Avatar. Sarah sent a gust of wind to block it.

Suddenly they were surrounded by firebender soldiers. Katara summoned a water whip from her water pouch and sent it flying at the one who has attacked Aang. Sokka threw his boomerang at a firebender that was moving towards his sister as she fought. Sarah was fighting three soldiers. She moved around the forest, jumping from behind one tree to behind another tree. Each time they sent a fireball she blocked it so the forest wouldn't burn and reveal the village. Aang was sending gusts of wind at the two soldiers he was fighting.

Soon all of the firebenders were defeated or so they thought. They ran towards Appa who had been blocking the path to the village. Sarah sensed something and turned just in time to see a fireball being sent at Katara.

"Katara!" Sarah's scream came a moment too late. Katara was hit in the back and fell to the ground. Three soldiers jumped out from behind the trees. The other soldiers were beginning to get up. Sarah knew that she, Sokka, and Aang had all been injured in the battle and wouldn't stand a chance in another. There was only one thing to do.

"Aang! Sokka! Run!" Sarah ran towards Katara. She needed Sarah more than the boys did.

"Sarah, come back!" Aang tried to run to her but Sokka held him back. He understood what Sarah was doing.

"Aang, run. Please." Sarah whispered as a nearby soldier sent a fireball at her. She allowed it to hit her in the back and fell to the ground unconscious. Aang obeyed his sister and they made it to Appa.

When Sarah woke up she found herself in a small bed with Katara in another bed about the same size as her own on the other side of the room. Sarah quickly went over and shook her awake.

"What is it Sarah?" Katara asked.

"We've been captured." Katara sat only to feel a burning sensation on her back. She let out a gasp of pain and lay back down.

"How did we get captured? Who captured us?"

"Well, you were hit by a fireball. That's why your back hurts so much. I ran to you and was also hit by a fireball in my back. You were probably burnt worse than I was because I used the air to block most of it and only let enough hit me so I would fall into unconsciousness. I wish I knew who captured us or how long I've been out."

"How are we going to escape?"

"I don't know. I can try to pick the lock or blow the door down."

"Try to pick the lock. That way it won't make a lot of noise." A soldier threw the door open.

"The Admiral would like to see you both." the soldier said as he tied Sarah's and Katara's hands. He shoved them into the dungeon hallway. Sarah tried to memorize the way out for when they escaped but it was too dark to see anything. Soon they came to some stairs and Sarah thought, _'Oh great. We have to find a way out of here and I'll I can remember is that there are stairs.'_

"Get moving." the soldier pushed Sarah since she had stopped in the middle of climbing the staircase. After getting to the top the soldier turned, opened a door and went inside. There was long hallway and Katara groaned when she saw it. Her back was in throbbing from the guard shoving them.

The soldier stopped at the second door to the right and knocked.

"Come in." called a ruff voice. The soldier opened the door, threw the girls in, and closed the door, leaving the two girls alone with the figure standing in the shadows.

"Hello girls." the man with ruff voice spoke again as he submerged from the darkness.

"Not him." Sarah whispered under her breath. Only Katara could hear her soft words.

Katara looked at the man and almost screamed.

"What do you want with us Zhao?" Sarah asked coldly.

"I thought it would be obvious. I want you to tell me where the Avatar is Sarah."

"Sarah, how do you know him?" Katara kept her voice calm even though her thoughts were full of panic. Do Zhao know that Sarah was the Lady Avatar?

"Are you going to tell her Sarah or should I?" Zhao sneered.

"We both know you want to tell her Admiral Monkey-Face."

"How dare you!" Zhao slapped her across the face.

"Are you going to tell her or not?" Sarah asked as if Zhao had never touched her.

Zhao glared at the girl and began the story, "This insolent little brat was the leader of a rebel force that attacked a Fire Nation town on a small island. Several were captured and she was one of them. I never thought I'd see the Earth Kingdom scum again."

"Good. Now that we have that out of the way are you ready to start interrogating us yet? We all know you're going too sooner or later." Sarah said, obviously bored.

"You little brat. How dare you speak that way to me!" He slapped her again.

Katara spotted a water basin in the corner. She formed a water whip and sent it at Zhao. He turned towards Katara and sent a fireball at her. She sank to the floor in pain and clutched her left shoulder.

Zhao left the room and locked the door, leaving Sarah and Katara alone. Sarah went to Katara and examined her shoulder.

"Here, let me heal that for you." Sarah summoned the rest of the water that was in the basin and it wrapped around her hand. She put it to Katara's shoulder and the burn disappeared.

"I didn't know you could heal Sarah."

"Sapphire taught me when we found out I was the Lady Avatar."

"You never told us about Ruby."

"You mean James's sister?"

"Yeah. And why did Zhao say you were from the Earth Kingdom?"

"I couldn't tell Zhao that I was from the Air Nation so I lied. It made since because the rebel force I was leading was from the Earth Kingdom."

"Now tell me about Ruby."

* * *

**Me: I hoped you all liked this chapter. It took me two days to write and I'm still sick. I definitely love my reviewers too much.**

**Gidget: You can say that again.**

**Katara: I want to know about Ruby.**

**Me: You have to wait until the next chapter.**

**Zuko: When do I capture Katara and Sarah?**

**Me: When I want you to.**

**Iroh: Maybe you should have some tea colorcrystals.**

**Me: I hate tea.**

**Iroh: More for me then.**

**Me: R'n'R**


	7. Jewels

**Me: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I meant to have this chapter up over two weeks ago. Stupid writer's block.**

**Gidget: Don't blame the writer's block. You only had it for six days. The rest of the time you were just lazy.**

**Me: I hate you.**

**Gidget: That I knew.**

**Sokka: Just get on with the story already!**

**Me: Maybe I should kill you off…**

**Sarah: I like that idea.**

**Sokka: Please do the disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer: I'd love to own A:TLA except not Sokka. They can keep him.**

**Sokka: Hey!

* * *

**

_**Jewels**_

"Ok. Where should I start?" Sarah asked.

"Start where you first met Ruby."

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_Air Princess Sarah watched through the window in her room as the Fire Princess Ruby dismounted the flying bison that had brought her to the Southern Air Temple. She turned and ran to the throne room where her mother, Air Queen Serena, was._

"_Mother, the Fire Princess is here!" Sarah crawled onto the Queen's lap._

"_I know darling."_

"_Why is she here again?"_

"_The Fire Lord says that it is because she is a very sickly child. We have better healers here because they are waterbenders. They don't usually live in the Fire Nation because it's too hot but they can live here because it is more like their home climate. Of course it's hotter than what they are used to here too but it is more tolerable. Just between us, I think that the Fire Princess's being sickly is just an excuse. The Fire Lord wants the Air Nation as allies."_

"_Queen Serena, Princess Sarah, the Fire Princess is here." a soldier told them._

"_Thank you. You are dismissed." Serena told him. The soldier bowed and left the throne room._

"_Mother, am I going to get to play with Princess Ruby?"_

"_If she wants to play with you. Remember she is very sick Sarah. She may not be well enough to play with you all the time."_

"_I will Mother." Sarah said as the doors opened. The little princess slipped off of her mother's lap and sat in the small throne next to her mother's._

_Several Air Nation soldiers entered the room and bowed. When Queen Serena nodded her head they moved and a young girl Sarah's age stepped forward. She was dressed in a floor length, red and black dress._

"_Air Queen Serena and Air Crown Princess Sarah, I am Fire Princess Ruby. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of staying in the Air Nation. It is an honor." Ruby curtsied._

"_You're welcome Princess Ruby. Princess Sarah, will you take the Fire Princess to her room?" Sarah knew that it was not a request._

"_Yes Mother. This way Princess Ruby." Sarah hopped off her small throne and motioned for the young girl to follow her._

_Sarah led the girl though several hallways and soon arrived at a door in a long corridor with red carpet. Sarah stopped at the towering door and said, "This is your bedroom Princess Ruby. My room is through the door on the right. There is also a door in your room that leads to mine."_

"_Thank you for showing to my room Crown Princess Sarah."_

"_You don't have to call me Crown Princess."_

"_All right Sarah." Ruby said awkwardly. "You can call me Ruby."_

"_Do you want to be friends, Ruby?" Sarah asked._

"_I'd love to be your friend. I've never had a real friend before. Can we be best friends?"_

"_Of course we can. Best friends forever."_

"_Forever." Ruby repeated._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"That's how you met Ruby?" Katara asked.

"Yes. The next day we played and we were true to our word. We were best friends until I dropped out of existence."

"Now what about Sapphire?"

"Well, you already know how we met."

"There has to be more to her story though."

"Yes, there is, but not much. I introduced Ruby and Sapphire and we took a new oath to all be best friends forever."

"What happened to James?"

"He stayed in the Air Nation. Eventually we fell in love. The girls teased me mercilessly about it."

"You mean Sapphire and Ruby?"

"We had another friend."

"Who?"

"The Earth Kingdom Princess Emerald."

"How did you meet her?"

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Ruby! Sapphire! Guess what!" Sarah called to her friends._

"_What Sarah?" Ruby asked._

"_We've been invited to Earth Kingdom for the Earth Princess's 7th birthday party."_

"_Why did they invite us?" Sapphire wondered aloud._

"_Well technically they invited me and Ruby but it says that we can bring a guest."_

"_Why did they invite us?" Ruby inquired._

"_Probably because I'm the queen of the Air Nation and you're the princess of the Fire Nation."_

"_So are we going to go?" Sapphire asked impatiently._

"_Of course we are Sapphire. Do you want to come?" Ruby answered._

"_What do you girls think?" was her answer._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"So you three went to the party. Then what?"

"Well, James came with us and like you said we went to the party. That's when we met Emerald."

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Welcome to the Earth Kingdom, Queen Sarah. Welcome Princess Ruby and Prince James." The king said kindly._

"_We are glad to be here." Sarah told him in a regal voice. Just because she had only just turned 7 and had only been queen for a year didn't mean she couldn't act queenly. "This is my friend, Sapphire of the Southern Water Tribe."_

"_It is nice to meet you Lady Sapphire. May I introduce my daughter, Crown Princess Emerald?" A young girl entered the room where the Earth King was greeting them and bowed._

"_It is an honor to meet all of you."_

"_Happy birthday Princess." They all said in unison._

_A smile formed across the birthday girl's face. "Thank you."_

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"Go on." Katara urged.

"Stop interrupting me." Sarah snapped.

"Just get to the party already."

"The party was that night. Unfortunately it wasn't much fun."

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_This party is so boring." Sarah whined._

"_I can't believe you made me come Sarah." Sapphire teased._

"_I didn't make you come and I'm going to hurt you for that." Sarah punched Sapphire in the arm lightly._

"_Sarah, I think my brother is looking at you." Ruby said pointing at James who was standing on the other side of the room._

"_What you mean?" Sapphire and Sarah asked at the same time._

"_I mean he was looking at you." Ruby told them once more as James made his way over to them._

"_Hey James." Sarah greeted._

"_Would you girls like some punch?" He asked quickly._

"_Sure." They said together. A minute after he left Emerald came over to them._

"_Hello Queen Sarah, Princess Ruby, Lady Sapphire." She curtsied to each of them._

"_Good evening Princess Emerald. Please call me Sarah. There is no need for formalities."_

"_As you wish Sarah. I'm sorry the party is so boring. My father insisted on having only nobles."_

"_Why didn't he let any of you friends come?" Sapphire asked._

"_I don't have any friends Lady Sapphire." Emerald's eyes gazed at the floor._

"_That's terrible! We'll be you friends." Ruby said._

"_You would really be my friend Princess Ruby?"_

"_Of course we will and like Sarah said, there is no need for formalities. Call me Ruby."_

"_Hello ladies." None of them had noticed James approaching. "I saw Princess Emerald over here so I brought her a cup. Could someone help me?" His arms were clutching five glasses of punch. Sapphire helped him distribute them._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"Is that all?" Katara asked.

"Can you let me finish without interrupting once?" Sarah snapped.

"No."

"Anyway, our friendship grew. Emerald came to live with us in the Air Nation. Of course her father was honored that the Air Queen wanted his daughter to come live with him."

"Now tell me about Sapphire."

"I already told you." Sarah protested.

"I know there is more to her story."

"Fine, I'll tell you. Katara, do you know the royal family of your tribe?"

"Well, yes and no. We don't call them the royal family anymore."

"Do you know who they are?"

"Yes, because I guess I'm one of them. My mother's father was the leader of our tribe."

"You're going to be very surprised."

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Queen Sarah, a waterbender would like to see you." A young soldier said, entering the garden that Sarah, James, Sapphire, Emerald, and Ruby were sitting in._

_Sarah looked at him and spoke, "Thank you. Dismissed." The soldier bowed and left._

"_You're getting good at that Sarah." James teased his nine year old girlfriend._

"_Oh shush. That's what happens when you've been queen for three years." She sent a little blast of air at him._

"_Sarah, you need to go see the waterbender so stop playing with my brother." Ruby scolded. Sarah stuck her tongue out at the Fire Princess and went into the throne room. They all followed her._

_Sarah sat in the same throne that her mother had sat in just a few years before. The memory brought tears to her eyes and her friends who were sitting beside her noticed but she brushed them away as a waterbender entered the room._

"_Air Queen Sarah, thank you for seeing me today. My name is Kinjo." Sapphire gasped at the name. Everyone turned to look at her. Kinjo's jaw dropped as if it was the first time he had seen her._

"_Princess Sapphire! Thank goodness you're safe." Kinjo exclaimed."_

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

**Me: I was going to add more but it was getting too long.**

**Gidget: I didn't know you were capable of writing such a long chapter. Now, didn't you have something else to say?**

**Me: Yes, I did. People, you have to start reviewing. This story has received 554 hits but only has8 reviews. There is something wrong there. If everyone who read the story would review at least once I could have about 100 reviews. I love criticism. If I've misspelled something tell me. If you don't understand something in the story, ask me. I hate having so many hits but only a few reviews. This is one of the reasons I didn't update. I need motivation but so far that's not happening.**

**Gidget: Go on.**

**Me: The one thing I don't like in reviews is flames. I find flames rude and disrespectful to the author that has put so much work into writing a good story. Please don't flame me or my story. If you don't like it, politely say so. ****This afternoon I received a review from Sky Ocean. It was a flame and it was absolutely terrible. They pointed out several things 'wrong' with the story, for example, that Aang wasn't rescued by Sarah. Did I ever say he was? No, she came in way after that. Sky Ocean also said that Aang wasn't raised by his family. After a few more chapters, you learn this. Their mother is dead and their father tried to kill Sarah. I don't think he would have raised Aang. Has Aang appeared in any of the flashbacks? No. He would have if Sarah raised him. ****So please review but don't flame me. If you find a hole in the storyline or someplace that the story doesn't go with the show, please tell.**

**Gidget: I would also like more people to review. So, for colorcrystal's sake, review.**


	8. Sapphire's Secret

**Me: Obviously my little pep talk didn't work although I did get someone new to review.**

**Gidget: Obviously.**

**Sokka: Get on with it already!**

**Me and Gidget: Fine!**

**Disclaimer: I just found out I don't even own that nickel I found under the couch. How the hell am I going to own A:TLA?

* * *

**

_**Sapphire's Secret**_

"_Princess_ Sapphire? She was a _princess?_" Katara asked, not believing what Sarah had told her.

"Yes, Sapphire was a princess. I was just as shocked as you. We had been best friends for three years but she never felt comfortable telling us." Sarah told her, a hint of regret in her voice like she had done something to lose Sapphire's trust.

"What happened after you found out?"

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_What are you talking about Kinjo?" Sarah questioned, sure that it was a mistake. Sapphire wasn't a princess. She would have told them if she was, wouldn't she?_

"_She's the missing Southern Water Tribe Princess. She has been missing for three years. I would recognize Princess Sapphire anywhere." Kinjo explained._

"_Is this true Sapphire? Are you the missing princess?" Sarah demanded. James, Ruby, and Emerald just stared at Sapphire, the friend they thought they knew._

"_Yes, it's true." Sapphire admitted. Seeing the hurt look in the nine year old queen's eyes she added, "I would have told you but I was afraid of being found. I thought that if you didn't know the truth I could start over. You were so kind to me. I wanted to tell you but…" Sapphire trailed off._

"_You lied to us all these years. How could you Sapphire?" Ruby said._

"_I'm so sorry. I would never do anything to hurt any of you." Tears streamed down Sapphire's rosy cheeks as she ran from the room into the hallway, not quite out of earshot._

"_I'm sorry to bring so much trouble to your court, Queen Sarah. I'll just take the young princess and go." Kinjo said. He turned to leave. Sapphire cried harder when she heard this. The last thing she wanted was to go back._

"_No." Kinjo turned back to when the queen spoke. "She is an apprentice to a healer. She can't leave until the terms of her agreement are up. That won't be for another four years. Until then she is in healer's care." Sapphire couldn't believe her ears. Sarah was finding a way to keep her there after she had lied to all of them._

"_My Lady, surely you cannot expect a princess to work as an assistant." Kinjo argued._

"_Yes, I do expect and so does the healer that has taken care of her for all these years. I will not allow Sapphire to break her contract with the healer. That means that until Sapphire's 13th birthday she is bound to the healer. Now, why did you want to see me?" Sapphire flinched at the sound of her friend's voice. She had never heard the young queen yell before._

"_I wanted to know if you had seen the princess and if so where she was." Kinjo said meekly._

"_Well, you have found her. Dismissed."_

"_But, what abo-"_

"_I said dismissed!" Sarah shouted._

_Kinjo gathered his courage and said, "I'm not leaving without Princess Sapphire."_

"_I have told you what will happen. Sapphire is to stay here until she is thirteen. Then she will decide if she wants to go home or not."_

"_She will come home now. Her tribe needs her."_

"_The healer needs her too. Guards! Remove this man from my sight until he can decide to leave without Princess Sapphire." Sarah ordered as Sapphire quietly left her hiding spot to go find a new one._

_The guards bowed and led Kinjo away from the throne room. When they were gone Sarah, Ruby, Emerald, and James went to find Sapphire. They found her in the palace garden in the same spot they had been earlier._

"_Why did you stick up for me Sarah? I lied to you about who I was for three years. I thought you would hate me."_

"_We could never hate you Sapphire." Ruby said, smiling at her friend's stupidity._

"_We'll always love you Sapp. No matter what, we'll always love you." Sarah said, giving Sapphire a hug._

"_I don't want to go back to the Water Tribe."_

"_We know Sapp. We're not going to let him take you back." Emerald told her._

"_You will have to go back to the Southern Water Tribe eventually. Just as I'm queen here you're princess there. Your people need you." Sarah told her. "Why didn't you tell us the truth?"_

"_I was afraid that you would send me back Sarah. I had met your mother but not you. I didn't know what you would be like and whether you would let me stay. I wanted to tell you but whenever I worked up the courage to do so, I chickened out. There were so many times that I almost told you but…" Sapphire sobbed even harder._

"_You were afraid I would send you back and stop being your friend." Sarah finished for the crying girl._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"Sapphire was the princess of my tribe?" Katara asked.

"Yes, she was."

"What happened next?"

"I went to talk to Kinjo and try to negotiate terms for Sapphire to stay with us."

"What did he say?"

"Listen and you'll find out."

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_Sarah waited in her room while one of her guards went to fetch Kinjo._

"_Have you calmed down yet?" Sarah asked when the door opened and Kinjo appeared._

"_Yes, I have Queen Sarah." Kinjo paused and then added, "I will not leave without her. Her people need her. They need their princess-"_

"_As I have told you before the healer needs her as well. You have no right to take her from my nation without my permission. Now, I have a deal for you. If you allow her to stay she will go home once every two months for a week. I will accompany her as well as our friends, Princess Ruby, Prince James, and Princess Emerald."_

"_I guess I have no choice in the matter." Kinjo said bitterly._

"_You are correct, but you might want to hear the rest of the proposal. When Sapphire is thirteen and she is released from the apprenticeship with the healer she will decide whether or not to continue living here. Do we have an agreement?"_

"_Yes. I must request that Princess Sapphire come home immediately for the people need to know that she is alive."_

"_I will inform her of this. When do you leave?"_

"_I will leave in two days."_

"_We will go with you. Dismissed." Kinjo bowed and exited._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"So he allowed her to stay?" Katara was sure that Kinjo would have been unreasonable and surprised that he agreed to the terms.

"Yes, but we had to go to the Southern Water Tribe since I promised Kinjo. Sapphire wasn't to happy although later she told me that she enjoyed being back." Sarah laughed as she spoke.

All of a sudden the door opened and there stood a very angry Zhao.

* * *

**Me: You all must hate me for the cliffie.**

**Gidget: I do.**

**Me: You hated me anyway.**

**Gidget: How true!**

**Katara: What is Zhao going to do to us?**

**Me: You have to wait.**

**Sarah: If you have anything bad happen to us…**

**Me: Of course something bad is going to happen. It's Zhao we're talking about here. Don't worry, neither of you is going to be killed.**

**Sarah: Wow, that's a relief. –speaks sarcastically–**

**Me: Anyway, on to important things. REVIEW PEOPLE! I have 714 hits and that's great but I want reviews. It doesn't take that long to review. I don't even care if it's just, "Great story." Is that so hard?**

**Gidget: It's sad that she only has 10 reviews.**

**Me: Read my bio for more info about how I feel about reviews.**


	9. Answers

**Me: Yay! I've got 3 more reviews. –starts dancing–**

**Gidget: Stop dancing and do the disclaimer!**

**Sarah: Fine. You don't have to be so mean.**

**Disclaimer: I only own Sarah, James, Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby, and sadly Gidget and unfortunately not A: TLA.

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**

**_Answers_**

Zuko knocked on James' door. He had been in there ever since they had landed on that island and saw the Avatar's bison flying away. At first James had looked relived but then they heard faint shouts of joy from Zhao's ship. Zuko knew they must have captured one of the Avatar's friends but James seemed to know more.

"Come in Zuko." James called and Zuko entered. James was sitting on a mat with his eyes closed. He had been mediating. "What do you want?"

"I want you to tell me about your girlfriend." James' eyes shot opened.

"Ok." James got up and sat on the bed. "Come sit by me." Zuko sat by him. "What do you want to know?"

"Who was she?"

"Her name was Sarah. Her title was Air Queen Sarah, Master Airbender, Lady of the Southern Air Temple, Daughter of Air Queen Serena and Air King Keith." **A/N: James purposely left out Lady Avatar.**

"She was the Air Queen?" Zuko was shocked.

"Yes. She was."

"Wasn't Keith the one who led the Air Rebels?"

"Yes. He also killed his wife, his youngest daughter, and tried to kill Sarah. He tried to kill her again when she was ten. That time he was going to try to kill her younger brother." James said bitterly.

"What were the names of Sarah's brother and sister?"

"Her sister's name was Elizabeth, but everyone called her Lizzie. Sarah was a year older than her."

"What about the brother?"

"I'm not ready to tell you that. Maybe when you're older." Zuko didn't like the answer but knew better that to push his uncle.

"Who would kill his own family?" Zuko shook his head as he spoke.

"I don't know. The worst part about him killing Lizzie was that he killed her right in front of Sarah."

"We were always taught that Keith was a noble firebender that tried to rid us of the airbenders and the Avatar." Zuko confessed.

"There was nothing noble about that man."

"When did you first start to like Sarah?" Zuko asked, trying to change the subject.

"Well, we met when we were six. I went to check on my little sister Ruby who was in the care of Sarah. I was waiting to meet with her when her sister was being killed and she was fighting for her life."

"You mean Aunt Ruby was living in the Air Nation?"

"Yes. She and Sarah were good friends. After I met with Sarah I stayed there when I could which was most of the time. They had become friends with a healer's apprentice, Sapphire, who we learned was Princess Sapphire of the Southern Water Tribe when we were nine."

"You're not answering my question."

"I began to fall in love with her when we were seven and we had gone to Earth Princess Emerald's 7th birthday party."

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_James stared at Sarah from across the ballroom. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He had never realized how beautiful she was._

_He saw Ruby pointing at him and quickly looked away. He had been caught by his own little sister. James groaned knowing he would never hear the end of this. For a six year old she sure did have a big mouth. If they were in the Fire Nation everyone would have known he was staring at the Air Queen by morning. Why did Ruby have to be eleven months younger than him? Why did he have to have a crush on her best friend?_

_Deciding that he had better go over there and deny anything his sister said about the matter, he slowly walked to his sister's side._

"_Hey James." Sarah greeted._

"_Would you girls like some punch?" He asked trying to hide his nervousness._

"_Sure." The girls said together._

_He walked to the punch bowl trying to act normal. He had just finished filling four cups with the red punch when he saw Emerald talking to the girls. He groaned at the thought of carrying five glasses. James filled the last cup and walked over._

"_Hello ladies. I saw Princess Emerald over here so I brought her a cup. Could someone help me?" Sapphire helped him distribute them._

_**End Flashback

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**_

"Even though that was when I started to love her I didn't begin to court her until we were nine." James sighed.

"Why do you look like you're 16?" Zuko asked.

James held out his right hand for his great-nephew to see, "Do you see the ring on my finger?" Zuko nodded and James spoke again, "It's called a Ring of Eternity. Sarah gave it to me. It was created by the airbenders. Nobody really knows what it does except that it can make you live forever. As for why I look 16, I have no idea."

Zuko couldn't believe all the answers he was getting. "Why did Sarah disappear?"

"I've always wondered about that. I think it may be because of when the Fire Nation slaughtered her people, although she had disappeared three years before that."

"Do you think she died?"

"No. Ruby came home and told me that Sarah had gone in search of her younger brother who had recently gone missing. Ruby gave me a message from Sarah saying not to go looking for her. I haven't seen her since."

"Why weren't you in the Air Nation when she left?" Zuko asked.

"I had to come home for a war meeting. It was my father who came up with the idea for the war but my brother who carried it out as I'm sure you know."

"What are you searching for?" Zuko hated his curiosity.

"I'm not ready to tell you."

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**Me: What do you think the answer is? I'll give 100 cookies to whoever figures it out.**

**Gidget: I would actually try to get that right because she makes excellent cookies.**

**Zuko: Why can't you have James tell me already?**

**Me: Because I don't want him to.**

**Zuko: That's not fair.**

**Me: Who said life was fair?**

**Sokka: I did.**

**Sarah: You're an idiot.**

**Me: REVIEW PEOPLE! IF YOU READ THIS STORY REVIEW!**


	10. Air and Fire

**Me: Hi people.**

**Gidget: Don't pay attention to her. She's on a sugar rush.**

**Disclaimer: You're an idiot if you think I own A: TLA.

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_**Air and Fire**_

Sarah's breath stopped. Nothing good could come of Zhao's sudden appearance.

"What do you want Zhao?" Sarah asked, hiding her fear and moving in front of Katara.

"I want you to tell me where the Avatar is." Zhao sneered as he approached the airbender. He raised his hand as if to slap her but instead grabbed the wrist that had instinctively moved in front of her face. Sarah yelped with pain. Zhao pushed her to the floor and seize Katara, making her face Sarah who had just stood up. "Or, I can burn you're little friend to a crisp." A small flame appeared in Zhao's hand which was dangerously close to Katara. "I'll give you to the count of ten. One, two, three…"

_Can I save Katara without revealing who I am?_ Sarah thought desperately. Katara watched fear and panic replace the cool confidence that was usually in Sarah's silvery eyes.

"Six, seven…"

_No, I can't._ Sarah answered herself.

"Eight, nine, ten." The moment the word ten left Zhao's lips the flame went out. Sarah took advantage of Zhao's surprise to send a breeze to move between Zhao and Katara. Zhao screamed in frustration as Katara slipped from his grasp.

_How is that little witch Sarah doing this?_ Zhao asked himself. Then it hit him.

"You're an airbender!"

"Took you long enough to figure that out." Sarah said. She sent a mighty gust of air at Zhao knocking off his feet. "Run Katara!"

They both ran for their lives. Sarah took care of soldiers in their way as she constantly looking over her shoulder for Zhao.

They had finally reached the deck when Katara exclaimed, "Sarah, look! It's Aang and Sokka!"

The boys must have heard Katara because suddenly Appa began moving towards the ship.

Aang and Sokka had been search for any sign of the girls for hours. It was almost nightfall and they tired, not to mention hungry.

"Sarah, look! It's Aang and Sokka!" called a faint voice in the distance.

"Aang, it's Katara and Sarah! Make Appa go towards that boat." Sokka ordered.

"Yay! We found them!" Aang shouted gleefully. "Yip-yip!"

"Hello girls." Sarah and Katara whipped around, ready to fight, when they heard Zhao's sinister voice behind them.

"It's unwise to challenge a waterbender when they're right next to their element." Sarah stated. Katara caught the hint and launched a water whip at the admiral as Appa came close to the boat. Unfortunately, it missed.

"I hope you can swim better than you can waterbend." Zhao snickered before sending a fireball that knocked Katara overboard into the ocean below.

"Katara!" Sarah, Aang, and Sokka yelled together.

"You'll pay for that Zhao!" Sarah screamed, anger raging through her voice.

She sent several blasts of air at him. The fight was on. Their skills were matched. Zhao would attack and Sarah would defend and vise versa. Soon they were panting, unable to attack each other. By that time Aang and Sokka had fished Katara out of the water and were watching the fight intently.

"You're obviously a good fighter, little airbender, but it's time for this battle to end and for me to win."

"You're right Admiral. It is time for this to end, but you won't be victorious." With this last statement Sarah summoned all of her strength and released a fireball, strong enough to knock Zhao into unconsciousness.

* * *

**Me: Finally. The secret is out. Do you know how hard it was for me to keep that to myself?**

**Gidget: Get to the cookies.**

**Me: Oh, yeah. Patience Halliwell gets ten cookies because she was almost right. –gives cookies to Patience–**

**Gidget: Hurry up.**

**Me: Will you be quiet! Remember to review but not flame.**


	11. A Secret Too Long Withheld

**Me: Did you all like the little surprise? Sorry about all the sucky action. **

**Gidget: Must you talk to them before every chapter?**

**Me: Yes.**

**Disclaimer: You figure it out.

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**

_**A Secret Too Long Withheld**_

"You're a firebender! I knew it. You can't be trusted." Sokka told Sarah.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Aang shouted. He was heartbroken. He loved Sarah like any brother should and he hated her for keeping the fact that she was a firebender from him.

"I was afraid that you would send me away and think that I'm dangerous."

"Just like what Sapphire thought." Sokka and Aang turned to Katara, puzzled by her comment.

"Yes. I guess it is just like what she thought. I just didn't want anyone to think I was dangerous. I hate being a firebender but I can't change who I am."

"When did you learn airbending?" Aang asked, his head hanging in sadness.

"What do you mean?" Sarah was startled by the question.

"Well you can only be born with one bending ability."

"I was born an airbender and a firebender, although I didn't learn that I was a firebender until I was six, right after Lizzie died." Tears formed in the girl's eyes.

"What happened?" Katara questioned quietly.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_Sarah couldn't stop crying. She tried to stop because she was at her sister's funeral and she needed to be strong. They had just buried little Lizzie. Finally she couldn't take it anymore. Sarah ran from the funeral that was being held outdoors under Sarah's and Lizzie's favorite tree. She ran deep into the forest and into a small clearing that her mother used to bring her to. Sarah curled into a ball and thought of the past._

"_Never tell anyone but those you love the most about this place, Sarah. It's a secret and we don't want anyone to find it." Queen Serena had told her daughter when she first brought the child to the clearing._

"_I won't Mommy. I promise." Sarah had said with a smile on her face._

"_Sarah, are you alright?" The voice brought her back to reality._

"_What do you want James?"_

"_I want to know if you're okay."_

"_What do you think. My mother is dead, my sister is being buried, I have to send Aang away so he'll be safe, and my father, my father…" Sarah began to sob even harder._

"_What did you're father do?"_

"_Can you show me?" Sarah caught James off guard._

"_What do you mean?" He asked cautiously._

"_Can you teach me?" Sarah stood up and opened her hand. A small flame appeared in it._

"_You can firebend!" James exclaimed, not believing what he was seeing._

"_I think I figured that out. Can you teach me?"_

"_Didn't your father teach you?" James regretted the statement the moment he said it._

"_No, he didn't. He tried to kill me after he killed Lizzie. That's when I discovered it." Sarah said quickly before she began to cry more. James was shocked at this response. Sarah had resumed her sitting position so all James could do was wrap his arm around her._

"_Does he know?"_

"_No. I don't want him to. He'll try even harder to kill me if he learns I'm a firebender."_

"_I'll teach everything I can."_

"_You mean it?"_

_James wiped the tears from Sarah's eyes and spoke, "Yes. When do you want to start?"_

"_Now."_

_**End Flashback

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**_

"So the ability just appeared?" Katara asked, trying to confirm the details of Sarah's unbelievable story.

"Yes. That's why James stayed in the Air Nation until we started dating. He was training me. It's probably because of that training that I defeated Zhao. I recognized all of his moves so I was able to predict what he was going to do."

"That's not possible. I know you're the Lady Avatar and all but there's no way you can be born with two bending abilities." Sokka argued.

"Do you have any other explanations, Sokka?" Sarah snapped.

Sokka was silent.

"That's what I thought." Sarah said.

"It must be nice to be a firebender." Aang thought out loud.

"No, it's not Aang." Sarah told him.

"Well, being the Lady Avatar would be easier if you can already firebend and it must be pretty cool."

"Aang what don't you understand? Being a firebender is a curse, not a blessing." Sarah couldn't comprehend her brother's reasoning.

"Well it makes you more like our dad."

"Aang, don't you get it? I don't want anything to do with him! He killed our family and tried to kill me twice! I don't want anything that makes me like him! All being a firebender does is remind me of the monster that I once called father." Sarah shouted and for the first time Sokka really trusted her.

"I'm sorry Sarah. I didn't know you felt that way." Aang apologized.

"We have to land. It's nighttime already." Sokka cut in.

Once they were on the ground Katara said, "Sarah, when did your father try to kill you the second time?"

"When I was ten."

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_I hate when the Air Rebels attack us. Why can't they just leave us alone?" Sarah asked as she and her friends took care of the wounded soldiers._

"_I don't know Sarah. I wish they could see that the rebels would see that they're hurting their own people. It's not these soldiers' faults that those rebels aren't benders." Sapphire sighed._

"_We've done all we can do. Let's go to the garden." Ruby told them. The other three girls nodded._

"_Hey girls. How are the soldiers?" James asked as the girls entered the garden._

"_Not well James. The Air Rebels wounded all of them." Sarah said, giving James a kiss._

"_I'm so tired. Healing wounds really takes a lot of energy. Sarah, what's wrong?" Sapphire stopped her rambling when she saw Sarah's face._

"_He's back," was her simple reply._

"_Who's back? What's going on Sarah? What's wrong?" James urgently questioned his young girlfriend._

"_My father, he's here. The wind just told me." Sarah's friends began to panic._

"_Where is he Sarah?" James whispered._

"_I have to go stop him. He's looking for Aang. It won't take long for him to learn that he's not here. He'll kill Aang if he finds him." Sarah spoke with a fear in her voice that her friends had never heard before._

"_I'll come with you." James told her._

"_We will too." The other three girls echoed._

"_No, I have to do this on my own. I risk him killing any of you. Besides, he's my father and this is my battle." James knew there was no way to dissuade Sarah when he mind was made up so he gave in and the others followed._

"_Stay safe Sarah and remember, we love you." Ruby reminded her, tears gleaming in the Fire Princess's eyes._

_Sarah gave James a kiss, opened her glider, and left. It didn't take her long to spot her father, walking across a field with no one around. She sent a breeze to make some noise. Her father turned to see what was behind him as Sarah soundlessly landed in front of him._

"_Hello father."_

_Keith jumped at her voice. "Hello little dove. I didn't expect to see you here."_

"_Why are you here, Father?"_

"_I've come to kill you and your brother." Keith sneered._

"_I'm afraid you won't succeed."_

"_Is that a challenge little dove?"_

"_What else would it be?" Sarah took her bending stance._

"_Then let it begin." He also took his bending stance._

_He started the fight by sending a series of fireballs that Sarah blew away easily._

"_I see you've been taught well little dove."_

"_Is that all you've got Father? I expected more."_

_Keith surrounded his daughter with flames and smiled triumphantly. The grin faded when he saw Sarah put out the fire with a wave of her arm._

She certainly is strong._ Keith thought, pleased. She was truly his child._

"_You fight well Sarah but you have not thrown a single attack. This fight could go on forever if you don't."_

"_Look behind you father." Keith did._

_His golden eyes grew large when he saw the small tornado behind him. While he had been talking Sarah had been creating it. All of a sudden it picked him up and spun him around. Soon it disappeared and Keith dropped to the ground._

"_How was that for an attack?" Sarah asked smugly._

_Keith jumped to his feet and drew his sword. "You bend well. Let's see if you can fight with a blade." He lunged at her._

_Sarah jumped out of the way but the blade cut her arm, barely. Sarah drew her own sword and they began the battle of the blades._

_Keith often on the defense, letting his daughter attack, waiting for the perfect moment. Finally it came. Her back was turned and he threw the sword. Sarah pivoted on her heel and caught the sword before it plunged into her heart._

_Keith was speechless. How could his daughter do that? Now he was without any weapons save bending. He created a large firewall. Sarah, with great effort, killed it and walked towards her father. She gave him his sword._

"_What are you doing? You could have killed me and instead you give me my weapon. How foolish are you girl?"_

"_Not foolish. I'm a fair fighter." She struck and hit his knee._

_He fell on his back and cried out in pain. Sarah positioned the sword right above his neck._

"_Go ahead and kill me Sarah. You've won. You are just like me."_

"_No, I won't kill you." She put her blade away. "I'm nothing like you because I won't sink to you're level and I won't kill my own family." She opened her glider and flew back to the Eastern Air Temple where her friend s waited._

_She was very weak when she landed in the garden where she had left her four friends. James ran up to her._

"_Sarah, thank Agni you're safe." He pulled her into a deep embrace and lightly kissed her lips. She collapsed in his arms. "Sarah! Sarah!" James and the girls called desperately but it was no use. Sarah had given in to unconsciousness._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"What happened after that?" Katara asked the Air Queen/

"I woke up and told them what happened."

"Let's not talk about this anymore. We need to go to sleep." Aang said, saving his sister from further questioning.

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**Me: I think the action is better in this chapter than in the last one, but this action still wasn't' very good. I'll try to make up for it in length in the next few chapters.**

**Gidget: Get on with the cookies moron.**

**Me: Oh, I've still got cookies to give to the person who guesses what James is looking for and they're getting cold. Come on people. Guess. Don't forget to review.**


	12. Not Again

**Me: I don't feel like talking.**

**Gidget: Finally!**

**Disclaimer: Are you so stupid that I have to do these so you know I don't own A: TLA?

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_**Not Again**_

Zuko woke up in James's room. James was still sleeping so Zuko left very quietly, trying not to wake him.

When Zuko reached his room he tried to meditate but he couldn't stop wondering what his uncle was searching for. It must have something to do with Sarah but surely she was dead. So what was it? He racked his brain for everything he knew about James, anything that might give him a clue.

He couldn't find anything. There was nothing. He gave up trying and fell asleep.

Katara awoke from dreams of Sarah's past. They were so violent. The airbender had certainly gone through a rough childhood.

Katara stood up and went to find a stream to bathe in. She was surprised to Sarah there practicing her firebending.

"Hello Katara." Sarah said without turning.

"How did you know that I was there?"

"The wind tells me things." Sarah stopped bending. "Did you want to take a bath?"

"Yeah. The boys are sleeping so I thought I would sneak down here and bathe." Katara blushed.

"Katara! Where are you?" Sokka called.

"They aren't sleeping anymore." Sarah stated.

"There you are Katara. I was worried. Good morning Sarah." Sokka informed the girls.

They all went back to camp and ate a breakfast that consisted of fish, berries, and nuts. Then they got on Appa and started to fly.

"Where are we going to go?" Sarah asked.

"We should head for Omashu. That way we can try to find a master to teach Aang earthbending." Sokka said.

"To Omashu." Aang repeated. "Yip-yip."

Zhao paced in his compartments. He had sent a letter to the Fire Lord as soon as he was conscious. Zhao was sure Ozai would love to hear about another airbender. Now all he had to do was wait for a reply.

"Prince Zuko?" A soldier knocked on Zuko's door. "We've spotted the Avatar."

Zuko threw open the door and ran to the deck.

"Follow the Avatar. Don't lose him." Zuko ordered the crew as he went to James's room. He was asleep. Zuko wondered if he should wake James but decided against it. His uncle needed his rest. Zuko went back on the deck.

"You will not escape me this time Avatar. I will get you and regain my honor." Zuko muttered.

Sarah heard shouts from below and investigated. "Aang! There's a Fire Nation ship following us!"

Sokka looked at the ship at said, "It's Prince Zuko. Aang, make Appa go faster."

"There's no time. They're too close. We have to land." Sarah checked their surroundings. "There's an island over there. We need to land there. Aang hurry."

"Yip-yip."

All of a sudden Appa cried out in pain. A fireball had just hit him. They had to land quickly.

"Aang hurry!" Katara cried as another attack was launched. Sarah sent a blast of air at Zuko.

Zuko sent a series of fireballs at the flying bison. Suddenly he was swept off his feet by a gust of air. Unfortunately he thought that Aang had attacked which made him want to capture him even more.

Finally they were able to land and get off of Appa.

"Aang, stay with Sokka. Sokka, protect Aang at all costs. Get on Appa and stay hidden in the clouds. Katara, come with me. We'll fight and hopefully they'll follow us and not see the boys. Then we'll fly to Appa on my glider." Sarah commanded. Everyone nodded. "Sokka come here." Sarah and Sokka stepped aside.

"What Sarah?" Sokka asked.

"Take care of my brother. Don't let anything happen to him. He's all I have left."

"I will if you take care of my sister."

"I will." They shook hands in agreement. "Let's go."

Aang and Sokka waited for Sarah and Katara to get into the woods to get on Appa. They rose into the sky, out of sight.

Katara and Sarah raced through the forest, never parting. They had to get somewhere safe.

"Get to that island. The Avatar must be on it." Zuko ordered as he watched the giant beast rise into the clouds.

"Prince Zuko, maybe you should have some tea to calm down." Iroh suggested.

"For the last time Uncle, I hate tea. Leave me alone."

"As you wish Prince Zuko." Iroh went below deck.

They soon landed and Zuko led his crew through the thick forest. Zuko quickly gained on the girls.

"Katara, we have to hide." Sarah whispered.

"Where? There isn't anyplace that they can't see us." Katara replied.

"There are always the trees."

"What?" Katara asked a bit too loudly.

"We have to hide in the trees. Come on." Sarah grasped Katara's wrist, opened her glider, and flew into the trees. Katara screamed in surprise as her feet left the ground.

Once in the trees Sarah clasped her hand on Katara's mouth, preventing the waterbender from making noise.

Zuko and his men searched. The prince knew they were close. Suddenly he heard a scream. He ran in the direction the sound came from.

"This way!" Zuko called to his crew.

Where had that scream come from? It hadn't been far away. Zuko sent a blast of fire a tree which burned down quickly.

"Where are they?" He muttered.

Sarah and Katara watched in horror as the tree beside them burned down. Zuko could have easily done that to _their_ tree. Obviously it wasn't safe here anymore. Sarah removed her hand from Katara's mouth, sure that she wouldn't speak. Katara gave an unexpected sneeze, compromising their position.

Sarah cursed under her breath and prepared for combat.

Zuko looked up as soon as he heard the sneeze. He had them cornered.

"Come down Avatar!"

Sarah jumped out of the tree, leaving Katara in safety. "Sorry to disappoint you but the Avatar isn't here." She drew her swords.

"Come peacefully and that won't be necessary."

"Or I could just not come at all." Sarah attacked the Zuko, cutting his arm.

"You'll pay for that." He lunged at the girl with his own blade.

The crew watched in amazement as the two teens fought. The prince attacked when his opponent would have defended. Zuko watched Sarah's movements carefully, eventually grabbing her wrists and pressing the tip of his blade against her neck.

"Sarah!" Katara jumped out of the tree. "Let her go!" A guard quickly seized her.

"You!" Zuko exclaimed. "You're the girl who travels with the Avatar!" An idea struck Zuko. "So Sarah, are you going to come peacefully or am I going to have to kill your friend?"

"I'll go peacefully."

"Take the waterbender back to the ship." Zuko ordered. When the crew was gone he asked Sarah, "What nation are you from?"

"I'm from the Earth Kingdom." Sarah lied.

Zuko eyed the girl suspiciously, took her to the ship, and threw her in a cell with Katara.

"We seem to have a knack for getting captured, don't we Katara?" Sarah joked.

"I don't see how you can be joking at a time like this Sarah. We have to escape." Katara said.

A soldier opened the door to the cell and said, "Prince Zuko would like to see you."

He took them to a large room and left them there. They sat down in the two chairs that had been placed in the room. Zuko came in soon after they were seated.

"Tell me where the Avatar is."

"We don't know." Sarah answered.

"Tell me where he is."

"We don't know where he is." Sarah repeated.

"Tell me!" Zuko yelled.

"We don't know where he is." Sarah yelled back.

"This is going nowhere. Guard!" A soldier entered the room. "Take them back to the brig and put them in separate stalls." Zuko figured this was the best way to punish them.

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**Me: Yay! They finally get captured by Zuko. Now we can proceed with the Zutara. REVIEW PLEASE!**


	13. Honor

**Me: Here's the next chapter. I'm not very talkative today.**

**Disclaimer: I don't feel like doing this today, but I have to. I don't own A: TLA.

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_**Honor**_

The guard ended up putting them is cells right next to each other.

Sarah pounded on the door, "Let me out! Let me out!"

Katara listened to Sarah's pleas and cried. She hated being alone. Eventually Sarah's poundings stopped and Katara was left in silence. Katara could feel herself trembling as she sat on the bed in her tiny cell.

"How can I escape without Sarah here to help me?" Katara whispered to herself. She had been very dependent on Sarah lately and now she had to fend for herself.

After being alone for what seemed like hours, Katara heard the cell door unlock. She wiped away her tears and stood up incase it was Zuko. She wasn't about to let him have the satisfaction of seeing her crying.

It wasn't Zuko. It was a guard. He closed the door behind him.

"What do you want?" Katara asked. The guard didn't speak but instead took a step forward.

"What do you want?" Katara repeated, becoming scared. Why hadn't he answered before?

When the guard's eyes scanned her figure, Katara knew something was amiss. She saw something in his eyes. What was it? Her stomach lurched when she realized what it was. _Hunger._

"What do you want?" Katara could hardly keep her voice from shaking.

"So you're they waterbender that has been traveling with the Avatar." The man finally spoke.

"Get out." Katara ordered.

"I don't take orders from prisoners." The guard was coming closer. Too close.

"Why are you here?" She questioned, afraid of what might be coming.

"I think you know." He grabbed her wrists and planted his lips on hers. She was shocked at the sudden movement.

She pushed him away. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Do you know how long it has been since any of us have seen a woman? I'm just the first to get you." Katara began to panic. He pushed her onto the bed and sat on top of her.

"Get off of me!" Katara yelled, trying to push him away.

"No." He kissed her again, this time forcing his tongue in her mouth. She gagged on the awful taste. She bit his tongue.

"Get off!" Katara shouted. She was sobbing uncontrollably.

"You're going to regret that."

He was about to take off her clothes when she screamed.

* * *

Sarah was sitting on the floor of her cell. She could hear Katara crying. All of a sudden it stopped. What had happened? Sarah guessed Katara had fallen asleep. Sarah decided to do the same. 

"Get off of me!" Sarah's eyes shot open when she heard Katara.

She put her ear against the wall separating her and Katara. The shout had been so faint.

"Get off!" Sarah knew something was terribly wrong.

She concentrated on hearing what was going on. She heard a scream. Sarah ran to the door and blew it open. She didn't care if anyone heard. It would be good if they had. Katara needed help.

Sarah looked in a small window on Katara's door. There was a man sitting on top of the waterbender and he had just slapped her.

Sarah had to find Zuko. She ran down the hall, willing the air to lead her to him. She ran for what seemed like an eternity. Finally she reached the door leading to the deck. She threw it open.

Zuko, who had been talking with Iroh and some soldiers, turned in Sarah's direction.

"What are you doing out of your cell?" Zuko snapped.

"The Fire Nation once taught its children about honor. If you care anything about honor you'll come with me." Sarah pleaded.

"Why?" Zuko asked suspiciously.

"There's no time to explain. This way." Sarah turned and started to run back to Katara's cell. Zuko, his uncle, and the soldiers followed.

They quickly made it back to the cells. Sarah checked the window. All Katara was wearing were her underwear and bra.

"Let me take over Sarah. Become the Lady Avatar." A voice whispered in her mind.

Sarah felt anger surging in her body. Suddenly her eyes began to glow a bright yellow. She was no longer in control.

She kicked the door and it fell with a thud. The guard looked up in surprise. Sarah sent a mighty fireball at the guard. The guard tried to protect himself but it was too late. He had been badly burned.

He rolled off Katara in pain, clutching where the fire had hit. Katara sat up and moved over to the corner of the bed.

Sarah carried on the onslaught, sending several fireballs at the guard. He screamed, aching from burns all over his body.

"Enough!" Zuko's voice brought Sarah back to reality. Her eyes became their normal silver again and Sarah regained control.

"Katara!" Sarah murmured. She ran over to the weeping waterbender and held her. "It's okay Katara. He won't hurt you." Sarah grabbed Katara's clothes off the floor and covered the girl with them. Only then did she notice that everyone was staring at her, with the exception of Katara.

"What?" Sarah demanded.

"Why did didn't you tell me you were a firebender? Why did you lie?" Zuko asked.

"I didn't want anyone to know. Shouldn't you be taking care of that?" She pointed to the guard on the floor.

"Tell him to a cell, far away from these girls." Zuko told the soldiers that had followed him. "You may stay with the waterbender peasant. Zuko said to Sarah once the soldiers had left.

Sarah clothed Katara up and soon her friend was asleep.

* * *

**Me: What did you all think? I got some of my ideas from Outsane's story, Superstition.**

**Gidget: What are you doing on the computer? You're supposed to be practicing your clarinet.**

**Me: Shut up. Keep guessing what James is looking for. I have to bake more cookies. The others were stale. Don't forget to review.**


	14. Lost, Found, and Lost Again

**Me: No one is getting 100 cookies so far. Please guess and get it right. I don't want to make more cookies.**

**Gidget: I think you're forgetting something.**

**Me: I thought that you all would like to know that when Sarah becomes the Lady Avatar it is the same as when Aang becomes the Avatar. The reason the Lady Avatar used firebending was because Lady Avatar Flairese was a firebender and she thought it would be best to keep Sarah's identity a secret.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own A: TLA or anything else except Sarah, Flairese, Sapphire, Emerald, Ruby, Keith, Serena, and James.**

**_Lost, Found, and Lost Again_**

"The soldiers tell me that we have an odd guest aboard." James said to Zuko as he sat down to breakfast the next day.

"Yeah. While you were sleeping the man who was supposed to be guarding the prisoners decided to try to rape one of them. The other girl broke out of her cell and came to get me. She nearly killed the man when we got back to her friend's cell." Zuko answered.

"How she almost kill him?" James asked.

"She used firebending. It was odd because earlier she had said that she was from the Earth Kingdom."

James pondered what his nephew had told him. Could it be her? No, it wasn't possible. She was probably dead. James looked at his ring. He had taken it off so many times, hoping that he would die. It never worked.

"What this firebender look like?" James inquired.

"She had blonde hair and was wearing a silver outfit. She didn't look like a firebender but she was. Something weird happened to her before she beat up the guard."

"What?" James asked urgently.

"Her eyes began to glow."

"Prince Zuko, Admiral Zhao wishes to come on the ship." A soldier informed them.

"Let him." The soldier left to deliver Zuko's order.

Zhao entered the dining room where Zuko and James were eating. "Hello Prince Zuko, Prince James."

"What do you want?" Zuko snapped.

"I've lost something. Actually I've lost two things. I had two female prisoners that escaped. Have you seen them?"

"No." Zuko lied.

"Are you sure?"

"If my nephew says no then the answer is no, Admiral." James said.

"Let's take a walk on the deck and catch up." James didn't like the way Zhao had said that.

"Ok." James answered for Zuko, wanting to know what Zhao was planning.

"Sarah." Katara mumbled, waking up.

"You're finally awake." Sarah was filled with relief.

"We have to get out of here!" Katara's voice betrayed her fear.

"I know. Should I try to pick the lock?"

"Yes, hurry."

Sarah worked for what seemed like eternity. Finally the door opened. Katara and Sarah rushed out of the room.

They quickly made it to the deck since Sarah still remembered the way. They heard voices and hid behind some barrels.

"Have you had any luck finding the Avatar?" Sarah's heart skipped a beat when she heard Zhao.

"No." Zuko answered coldly.

"Why don't you skip the pleasantries and tell us why you wanted to come out here?" James questioned.

Sarah looked around the barrel and saw him.

_It can't be possible. How could he have lived so long?"_ Sarah thought. Then she saw the Ring of Eternity she had given him. Sarah smiled to herself.

"I came to gloat about finding a girl who can firebend and airbend. I've found the Lady Avatar."

Zuko saw something come across James's face but it was gone a second later. "We all know that there can only be four Lady Avatars and they are all dead." James told him.

Zhao grew angry at this remark and threw a fireball at James. Sarah instinctively jumped out from behind the barrel and stopped the attack moments before it hit James.

"Hey Admiral Monkey-Face! Looking for me?"

"Sarah." James whispered.

Aang and Sokka couldn't believe that Sarah and Katara had been captured again.

"At least we know who captured them, although that doesn't make me any less nervous. If Zuko even thinks about doing anything to Katara, I'll kill him." Sokka sighed, not looking forward to the next few days of searching.

Aang pet Momo who was sitting on top of his shoulder and said, "Yip-yip." They set off in search of their sisters.

"You little brat!" Zhao screamed. He slammed his foot on the ship and flames sped toward Sarah.

She easily blew them away and spoke, "I see you found out I'm the Lady Avatar. Now the question is, can you beat me?"

"Of course I can." Sarah recognized his stance to be the same as her father had used 110 years before. She knew Zhao was going to try to blow her off the ship. She prepared to use the same move she used to defend herself against her father, knowing it would knock him over the side as well. If she was going to die she could at least try to take Zhao to the grave with her.

They sent their blows at the same time. Sarah held her footing just long enough to yell, "James, find Aang. Teach him firebending." Even though she whispered the next sentence, James heard it. "I love you."

Both Zhao and Sarah were sent flying into the water.

"Sarah!" James shrieked, not ready to lose the love of his life right after he had found her.

**Me: The suspense builds. Is Sarah dead? REVIEW!**


	15. The Spirit World

**Me: Don't let me keep you from the story. READ!**

**Disclaimer: See the last 14 chapters.

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**

_**The Spirit World**_

James jumped over the edge of the ship and into the deep water below. He saw Sarah, floating beneath the surface, unconscious, with her eyes closed. He reached out to grab her hand but missed. He was too far away. He swam with all of his might, trying to get to the girl.

He grasped her wrist and pulled her close. He savored the feeling of her in his arms for the first time in 100 years.

His lungs begged for air and he carried Sarah to the top. James watched as Iroh threw down a thick rope for him to grab so they could pull them up. He held on as Zuko helped the old general haul them up.

When they reached the railing, James struggled to set Sarah on the deck and not fall. When it became obvious he would not succeed Zuko took Sarah from his arms and laid the girl down gently. Katara rushed to her side. James swung his leg over the rail and ran to Sarah as well.

"Oh Agni, please don't let her be dead. Wake up Sarah! Please wake up!" James cried over Sarah's lifeless corpse. "I don't want to lose you again. I just found you."

Zuko stared at James. So the firebender was the Lady Avatar. He saw the distress on James's face as he shook Sarah, trying to make her wake up.

"James, she's dead." Zuko said softly. Katara was shocked that Zuko could be so gentle.

* * *

Sarah watched helplessly from the spirit world as James reached to grab her hand. It was as if she was seeing through someone else's eyes. 

"James, go back! I'm already dead! Go back to the ship!" Sarah screamed but it was no use. James couldn't hear her.

She stared as James cried over her body.

"Sarah." Sarah's eyes grew wide when she heard the voice that had been silenced 110 years before. Sarah turned.

"Lizzie." Sarah gazed at the five year old figure before her.

Lizzie grinned, "Hi big sister. Have you missed me?"

"How could I not?"

Lizzie's face grew serious. "Sarah, Mommy wants to talk to you." The princess turned to leave.

"Don't leave me Lizzie!"

She turned back, "I never have Sarah, and I never will. I love you more than anything. I wish I could stay but Mommy needs to talk to you."

"But you said you'd never leave me!"

"And I won't. I promise. I'm alive in you and nothing can change that. I love you." Lizzie left.

"I love you too Lizzie." Sarah whispered and waited for Serena to appear.

* * *

"She can't be dead. She just can't be." James murmured. 

Tears escaped Katara's eyes as she gazed at Sarah's pale face. She grasped her friend's hand, not ready to let the airbender go.

"What will we do with the body?" Iroh asked, sipping his tea sadly while his uncle sat by the corpse.

"We'll have to throw her overboard." Zuko sighed.

"No!" Katara and James shouted.

"She is the queen of the Air Nomads. Sarah deserves a proper burial." James argued.

"James." A young voice spoke.

James whipped around to see Lizzie.

"How is this possible, Lizzie? You're dead."

"I kind of noticed that James. Sarah is in the spirit world."

"So she is dead." James's head hung.

Lizzie opened her mouth to speak but she disappeared.

* * *

Lizzie found herself back in the spirit world. 

"Drat," she said, "I didn't get to tell him Sarah's not dead."

* * *

"James, we need to dump the body." Zuko told him, trying not to upset him more. 

"No, we can't." Something told James that it would a bad idea to drop Sarah into the water. Zuko, not questioning his judgment, didn't approach the subject again.

* * *

Sarah didn't have to wait for her mother long. 

"Hello Sarah." Serena smiled.

"Mother!" Sarah ran into her mother's open arms. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too, my angel, but there are important things to discuss. Your father is alive." Rage appeared in Sarah's eyes.

"I'll kill him."

"No!" Serena screeched.

"Why not Mother? He killed you and Lizzie. He's made my life miserable."

"Sarah, it wasn't his fault. Do you remember when your father was summoned to the Fire Nation?"

"Of course I do. It was right after you got sick."

"Yes. When your father returned he told me what had happened. The Fire Lord wanted him to help destroy the airbenders. Your father told him no and the Fire Lord threatened what your father loved most."

"What was that?"

"You." Sarah was stunned by her mother's reply.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Your father agreed under the terms that you wouldn't be harmed in any way."

"What happened? Why did he try to kill me if I wasn't supposed to be harmed?"

"The Fire Lord messed with his mind somehow. I'm not sure how but your father was himself enough to warn me. I told him to tell you. He went to find you but the full effects of the Fire Lord's control took over. Your father came back to my chamber after a few minutes. I could tell he was fighting it, but in the end it won. The last thing I heard was 'I love you.'"

"Why would the Fire Lord do that? There was peace between us. Father did of his own free will." Sarah refused to believe her mother.

"Sarah, think of the man you knew before I died." Serena pleaded.

Memories flooded Sarah's mind.

* * *

_**Flashbacks**_

_Sarah entered her parent's room. "Daddy?"_

"_What is it little dove?" Sarah jumped in his arms._

"_I'm hungry but Mommy won't let me have anything before dinner." Sarah pouted._

"_Hmmm." Keith stroked his chin and then moved to the bed. He reached under it and pulled out a jar. He took the lid off and handed his daughter a cookie. "Don't tell your mother about this. She'd kill me if she knew I let you have a cookie before dinner."_

"_I won't Daddy." Sarah skipped out of the room, munching the cookie.

* * *

_

"_Father!" Sarah yelled as her father arrived back from the Northern Air Temple. She hadn't seen him for three weeks._

_He took her in his arms and spun her around. "Hello little dove. How are you?"_

"_I'm fine Father. I've been practicing my airbending. Do you want to see?"_

"_Of course I do. Let's go inside so your mother can see too." He carried her into the temple._

_**End Flashbacks

* * *

**_

"Do you think your father was capable of killing me and Lizzie?" Serena asked.

"No."

"You need to bring your father back. No one else can save him."

"Why not?" Sarah questioned.

"He agreed to help the Fire Lord so you wouldn't be harmed. Your father is fighting the evil that has taken over his mind. The Keith I married is still in there somewhere and you have to help him get out. If the good in him were gone you would be dead. He would have killed you the first chance he got. You have to save him."

"I will Mother. I'll help him." Sarah promised.

Serena stroked her daughter's cheek and said, "You are so like your father. You have his spirit. When I look at you, I see him. Maybe that's why I love you so much." For the first time, Sarah didn't think of being like her father as an insult.

"Mother, I'm a firebender." Sarah confessed.

"I know. You're the Lady Avatar. It's expected."

"Was I born able to firebend?"

"Yes, but your anger helped you discover it."

"So I'm not an airbender?" Sarah hated the thought that who she thought she was, was a lie.

"No, you were born an airbender as well. Your father and I were shocked when we discovered that you were both. We decided to keep your firebending a secret so you would be accepted as the Air Princess."

"Why didn't Father say anything when I battled him? You'd think that he would use it against me."

"The evil the Fire Lord implanted in your father doesn't know because the Fire Lord didn't know." Serena drew Sarah into her arms. "I know you'll save your father."

"What do I do?"

"Help Aang save the world and tell him I love him. Find your father and save him from the evil that controls him. Blend fire and water. Marry James and spend the rest of your life with the man you love."

"How did you know about James?" Sarah inquired, bewildered.

"A mother knows everything." Serena smiled, broke the embrace, and grabbed Sarah's shoulders. "I love you more than anything. You were my firstborn and I've loved watching you growing up and becoming a beautiful young woman," Tears fell down Serena's cheeks, "but now I have to send you back."

"No! I don't want to go yet. I just got you back. Mommy, please, don't leave me!" Sarah sobbed.

Serena kissed Sarah's forehead. "I never have and I'm not going to. Not even death could stop my love. I'll always love you and I'll always be with you. Don't forget that."

"Just like what Lizzie said."

"Just like what Lizzie said. Good bye my daughter." Serena disappeared and Sarah woke up.

* * *

"James." His heart seemed to stop when he heard Sarah's voice. Katara stared at her friend who had just come back from the dead. 

"Sarah! Thank goodness you're alive. I thought I'd lost you forever." He hugged her. "What happened?"

"I was in the spirit world. I talked to my mother."

"Why did you leave?" He asked, talking about the past.

"I had to find Aang. James, he's the Avatar. He was my brother. I couldn't just sit around and act like nothing had happened. I had to go after him. I wanted to contact you but I couldn't risk the Fire Nation learning my location. I thought you were dead." Sarah explained.

"I thought you were dead too. I missed you so much. I love you Sarah."

"I love you too James." Sarah paused, "You'll never believe what my mother told me to do."

"What?"

"She told me to marry you." Sarah smiled, finding the joy that had been missing from her life.

* * *

**Me: I'll give you all two hints to what James is looking for. Here's the first: James has found her. Now for the second: It has to do with Sarah.**

**Gidget: It'll be a shame if no one guesses it. It is so easy. REVIEW!**


	16. The Plans

**Iroh: Would anyone like some tea?**

**Gidget: Where is colorcrystals?**

**Iroh: I think she went to the mall.**

**Gidget: I guess I'm going to have to do the disclaimer. Anyway, colorcrystals added something to the last chapter where Serena tells Sarah what to do. Now it says: "Help Aang save the world and tell him I love him. Find your father and save him from the evil that controls him. Blend fire and water. Marry James and spend the rest of your life with the man you love." She added the 'Blend fire and water.'**

**Disclaimer: Colorcrystals does not own A: TLA. If she did Katara and Zuko would be together.

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**_The Plans_**

James, Sarah, and Katara spent the rest of the afternoon filling Zuko and Iroh in on the situation. James did most of the talking because Sarah didn't want to explain everything for a second time.

"Now Sarah, are you ready to resume you firebending training?" James asked, a evil grin forming on his face.

"What do you mean training?" Sarah shot back at him.

"You may be 116 and the Lady Avatar but you still need to train."

"Let's go test that theory. Just don't cry when I beat you." Sarah mocked.

"What are you talking about?" Zuko questioned. Sarah and James groaned when they realized that they forgot to tell him that James had taught Sarah how to firebend. They spend another hour telling him all about it.

* * *

Princess Zula had just finished reading Zhao's letter when a messenger hawk arrived. He carried another letter from Zhao. 

"So there is another Lady Avatar." She said, her eyes scanning the note. A smirk formed on her face when she read that the Lady Avatar was on Zuko's ship. "I'll have to let father know that my brother is a traitor."

She quickly went to inform Fire Lord Ozai.

"Princess Zula, track down the Avatar and the Lady Avatar. Use any force necessary." Ozai ordered.

"Only one man will be needed. What about my brother?" She inquired.

"Kill him."

Zula walked back to her room triumphantly.

"Summon Keith." She told one of her guards. Keith was there within minutes.

"Keith, read the description of this girl. What do you make of it?" She handed him Zhao's first letter.

He quickly studied it and said, "It sounds like my eldest daughter, Queen Sarah."

"She's the Lady Avatar." A shocked look crept onto Keith's face. "I want you to help me find her and defeat her."

"As you wish Princess Zula."

"We leave tomorrow morning." Keith bowed and left.

* * *

Sarah and James were sparring on deck when Iroh came up. "Hello James. Hello Sarah." He greeted. 

"Who did you marry James?" Sarah asked.

James gave her a funny look and answered, "I didn't get married."

"But you wanted to become Fire Lord. You had so many plans for the Fire Nation."

"I could never marry anyone but you, Sarah. Besides, you don't honestly think that this war would still be going on if I was Fire Lord, do you?"

"No." Their sparring continued but Sarah kept getting distracted.

"What's wrong, Sarah?" Concern rang through James's voice.

"Would you like some tea?" Iroh offered.

"No thank you. I'm fine. I just can't stop thinking of something my mother told me."

"What did she say? Maybe we can help." James said.

"She told me to blend fire and water but I don't know what she meant. Water puts fire out and fire makes water turn to steam. There is no way to blend them." They all pondered Queen Serena's odd words, trying to discover the hidden meaning.

"Wait. I know." Sarah realized what it meant. "Katara is a waterbender. Zuko is a firebender. We have to get them together."

"Of course. It makes perfect sense." James agreed.

"I don't think Zuko is going to go along with it." Iroh said sadly. He like the idea of getting them together but it couldn't work.

"We don't have to tell them. Let them fall in love on their own. We'll just create the circumstances. They'll thank us someday." Sarah told them.

"How do we start?" James asked.

"Iroh, are there any spare rooms aboard the ship?" Sarah inquired.

"No. James took the only one. Why?"

"Well, Katara and I can't be expected to stay in that dreadful cell. After all, I am a queen and Katara is basically a princess since her father was the head of her tribe."

"I see where you're going Sarah. We can make them share the same room." James loved her brilliance.

"Then I can share your room James." Sarah smiled, proud of her plan.

James went to propose the room sharing idea to Zuko while Sarah went to tell Katara.

* * *

"Absolutely not! I will not share my room with anyone, especially that water wretch!" Zuko protested. 

"Sarah will be sharing my room. Where will Katara go?"

"She can stay with Iroh!" Zuko snapped.

"Zuko, you will share your room with Katara whether you like it or not! I am still your uncle and you will obey me!" James yelled.

"Fine. She can share my room."

* * *

"I'm not sharing a room with him Sarah! You must be crazy!" Katara screamed. 

"Would you rather stay in this cell?" Sarah reasoned, knowing Katara would give in.

"No. I guess I'll share a room with him." Katara grumbled.

Knock-knock. Sarah went to answer the door. It was James.

"I'll be back in a minute Katara." Sarah stepped out of the cell, closing the door behind her.

"What did he say?" Sarah asked.

"She can stay with him. It a while convincing Zuko to say yes but in the end I won."

"It was hard to convince Katara too but she also said yes. I'll go get her." Sarah went back in the cell. "Katara, this way." The waterbender reluctantly followed her.

James led the way through the ship to Zuko's bedroom. James opened the door for Katara and left.

"Do I have to stay with him?" Katara whined, surveying the room.

"Yes. Good night." Sarah was gone before Katara could speak. Sarah went back on the deck with James.

"The plan is in motion." Sarah whispered in his ear.

"I know." Together they went to his room, each proud of their involvement in getting Katara and Zuko together.

* * *

Zula couldn't wait for morning. She was finally going to be able to kill her big brother and take her rightful place as heir to the Fire Nation.

* * *

Keith was restless. After years of searching he knew exactly where Sarah was. He imagined how wonderful it would be to hear her beg for mercy. 

'_She won't beg.'_ The good in Keith thought.

'_Shut up. She will beg. She is a weakling. Sarah is no stronger than her worthless mother.'_ The evil in him snarled.

'_Her mother was the kindest woman there ever was and Sarah is just like her. She will defeat you. You will regret underestimating her. Don't forget she is my daughter and she will be conquered by no one.'_ Good Keith said.

* * *

**Me: YAY! We finally get to the Zutara or at least the beginning of it anyway. No-**

**Gidget: Where were you?**

**Me: I was at the mall. Anyway, like I was saying before Gidget so rudely interrupted me, no one guess what James was looking for correctly. He was looking for the Lady Avatar. For all he knew Sarah was dead. He was looking for a new Lady Avatar but discovered that Sarah never died. REVIEW!**


	17. A Code

**Me: I'm giving Mornan a cookie because she guessed so much. –gives Mornan the cookie–**

**Gidget: Hurry up. We don't have all day.**

**Me: You're still mad that I didn't take you to the mall.**

**Gidget: Of course I am.**

**Me: Anyway, I'm dedicating this chapter to Mornan. Also, I just found out that Zuko sister's name is Azula, not Zula, so I'm going to be using Azula now. Let's just hope that no one discovers that Zuko is supposed to be Azuko. That would be weird.**

**Disclaimer: I'm working on getting A: TLA but so far I have nothing.**

**Gidget: Colorcrystals forgot to mention that this happens in the early evening and the flashback happens around the time James and Sarah were telling Zuko how James taught Sarah to firebend.

* * *

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_**A Code**_

Sokka studied the mysterious paper that he and Aang had found on the island where Katara and Sarah were captured.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Sarah! Sarah!" Aang called out._

"_Katara! Katara, where are you?" Sokka cried. They had been searching the entire island for hours and hadn't found their sisters._

_They both stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the ashes of a tree in front of them._

"_The Fire Nation was here." Aang said, fear creeping into his voice. Had Sarah or Katara been in that tree?_

_Sokka looked around frantically for some sign of the girls and noticed hole in the tree he was next to. He also noticed that there was a letter carefully concealed inside._

"_Aang, look at this."_

_Aang came over and read it. "What is it supposed to mean? It's Sarah's handwriting but the letter makes no sense."_

"_It makes perfect sense." Sokka told him after examining the note several times. "One thing is for sure, the girls aren't here."_

"_What do you mean?" Aang asked in confusion._

"_I'll tell you later. Let's go." They got on Appa and left._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"Sokka, you promised that you would explain the letter to me. Please tell me." Aang begged.

"Okay Aang." Sokka read the letter aloud.

_Dear A and S,_

_We have become guests aboard the Prince's ship. We are both fine and miss you terribly. Don't worry about us. A, you must help our friends seeing as I can't. I'm sure that no one knows about me except us. We hope to see you at the destination point._

_Love,_

_Lady of the South_

"What is that supposed to mean?" Aang asked.

"It's a code and it's pure genius." Sokka told him.

"I still don't get it."

"Okay, dear A and S means dear Aang and Sokka. The next sentence means that they've been captured by Zuko."

"Then why didn't the girls just say that?" Aang thought he'd never understand the way their sister's brains worked.

"Because if anyone else found the note they wouldn't know what it meant. Anyway, the next three sentences mean that they don't want us to follow them because the world is depending on you. 'I'm sure no one knows about me except us' means that she's sure no one knows she is the Lady Avatar but us four." Sokka explained.

"What about the last sentence?"

"It means that Sarah is going to try escape with Katara and meet us in Omashu."

"How do you know Sarah wrote it?"

"First of all, like you said earlier, it is her hand writing. Secondly, when she wrote Lady of the South, she means Sarah. She used part of her title so no one would know who she is because no one remembers her."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Of course it makes sense. Sarah is brilliant for leaving such a cleverly devised code."

"We are going after them, aren't we?" Aang questioned.

"Yes."

"But Sarah didn't want us to."

"Aang, Katara is a prisoner of Prince Zuko. How could we not go after them?" Sokka reasoned.

* * *

**Me: I can't believe Zuko cut off his hair in the new episode of the season! I only get to watch the last five minutes and he cuts off his hair! Who else is ready to kill Zula and Ozai? Could anyone tell me what happened during the first 25 minutes of the show? I hated the new episode on Friday. Kataang makes me sick. A: TLA MUST BE ZUTARA!**


	18. Inside the Enemy’s Lair

**Me: Blah blah blah…**

**Disclaimer: Must I do these?

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_**Inside the Enemy's Lair**_

Katara glanced at her surroundings again. How could Sarah her leave in this room alone? She had expected to see a sleeping bag or something for her but there was none. Surely she wasn't going to sleep in the bed with Zuko.

After spending several minutes trying to come up with alternatives and finding none she gave up. She was going to have to share a bed with the Fire Nation Prince. Katara shuddered at the thought.

* * *

Zuko stormed down the hall. How could James be so unreasonable? Iroh appeared in front of him holding some clothes. 

"Prince Zuko, these are for Miss Katara. Could you give them to her?" Iroh asked cheerfully.

"Fine." Zuko growled and snatched the clothes from his uncle. He continued towards his room.

"It's very good of you to allow Miss Katara to share your room. I don't know where she would have slept otherwise seeing as we don't have any sleeping bags." Iroh chatted as he walked with Zuko.

"What do you mean we don't have sleeping bags?" Zuko stopped dead in his tracks. Where was that water wretch supposed to sleep?

"We don't have sleeping bags. She'll be sleeping in your bed. She can't sleep on the floor. I'm sure James would allow her to stay with him but Sarah is."

Zuko stared at Iroh. That _girl_ was supposed to sleep in _his_ bed. "Why wasn't I told this before?"

"James didn't think it relevant Prince Zuko."

"I'm supposed to share my bed with a peasant and James doesn't think it relevant to tell me!" Zuko pushed his uncle out of the way and began to run towards James's room.

When he got there he pounded on the door. "James, open up!"

Sarah opened the door, "What do you want Zuko?"

"What are you doing here?" He questioned coldly, not happy that she was keeping him from James.

"I happen to be staying with James. Aren't you supposed to be in lullaby land?" She asked in a mocking baby voice.

"I need to speak to James." He told her through gritted teeth. James might not like it if he burnt her to a crisp.

"What do you need?" James came to the door and went into the hall with Zuko. He closed the door and left Sarah pouting because she didn't get to listen.

"Why didn't you tell me that the girl was going to sleep in my bed? I think that's worth mentioning." Zuko whispered.

"I guess I forgot. It's not a problem is it?"

Zuko scowled and started to walk to his room once more.

"What was that about?" Sarah inquired when James came back in the room.

"Zuko was upset because I forgot to mention that he and Katara would be sharing a bed." He laughed.

Sarah laughed with him. "I forgot to tell Katara too."

* * *

Katara jumped when the door flew open and Zuko stormed in. 

"These are for you." He threw the clothes at her.

She examined the clothes. There was a nightdress and a red outfit for the next day.

"There is a bathroom down the hall where you can change." He informed her. She rushed out of the room and quickly found the bathroom he told her about.

She slammed the door and sat on the floor. After a few minutes she stood up to see what the bathroom was like. It looked like most bathrooms and was very small.

She locked the door before she began to undress. Katara slipped the nightdress over her head. She was surprised at how soft and comfortable it was. Katara unlocked the door and stepped into the hall. She made sure no one was watching her and dashed to Zuko's door. She waited a moment to gather her courage and opened the door gracefully.

Zuko was sitting on the floor facing away from Katara meditating. He had taken off his shirt while waiting for her. Katara found herself a little too aware of his muscles and looked away.

"It took you long enough to get dressed." Zuko stood up a came to a stop when he saw her. Katara's hair flowed gently down her back like a quiet waterfall and the nightdress complimented every curve. Zuko couldn't believe how beautiful she was.

A bright red blush crept onto Katara's cheeks when she noticed him looking at her.

Zuko noticed the blush and quickly turned away; trying to preserve what dignity he had left. "We should go to bed."

Katara slid into the bed and faced the wall. Zuko did the same and kept his back to Katara.

* * *

Katara woke up well rested and was surprised to see that Zuko wasn't there. She silently got up and changed into her red outfit. Like the night before, it was as soft as silk and made her look stunning. 

Katara left the room and went to the deck. She saw Sarah standing by the railing and went over to her, trying to avoid the stares the crew was giving her.

"Hey Katara. You look amazing." Sarah greeted.

"Thanks. I wish Sokka and Aang were here." Katara sighed sadly.

"They should be looking for us." Sarah said slyly.

"What do you mean?"

"I knew that the chances of us escaping Zuko were very small so I left them a note. Sokka should be able to understand the code it's written in."

"But you always say that Sokka is an idiot which he is."

"I know that, but in his own way he's very smart. I knew he would be able to figure out the letter." Sarah explained.

"You amaze me sometimes Sarah."

"How did you sleep?" Sarah inquired.

"Fine considering the fact that you forgot to mention the tiny detail that I had to share a bed with Zuko."

"I'm glad you had a good night." Sarah walked away leaving Katara alone.

* * *

**Me: I finally finished the chapter. I had a terrible case of writer's block. I'll try to update soon if you review.**


	19. Agni Kai

**Me: Does anyone know Zuko's mother's name?**

**Disclaimer: Do I have to spell it out for you? I do N-O-T own A: TLA.

* * *

**

_**Agni Kai**_

"I can't believe you were cruel enough not to tell me, _Uncle."_ James flinched when Zuko said 'uncle.' They had been on deck all morning and James was getting tired of Zuko's whining.

"Get over it. I forgot to tell you. So what? It's not like she tried to murder you." James snapped.

"That's not the point! I had to share a bed with her. I'm a prince. Princes shouldn't have to share beds with water wretches!"

"You're overreacting. It was one night." James massaged his temples.

"Sure, it was only one night, but I'll have to share my bed again tonight and tomorrow night, and the night after that, and the night after ni-"

"Shut up Zuko!" The banished prince's eyes grew wide. James had never yelled at him before. "You're going to share a room with her whether you like it or not. Don't complain to me about having to share a room with her! You are sharing the room and that's final! Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." Zuko hesitated before saying the unfamiliar title. James turned and left.

* * *

"Katara please talk to me." Sarah pleaded. They were in James's room for the past hour. Sarah envied James. _'Zuko may be complaining to James on deck right now but at least James isn't getting the silent treatment.'_ She thought. 

Katara didn't reply.

"Please Katara. I'm sorry you had to share a room with Zuko but you said you had a good night. I don't know why you aren't talking to me."

"So the little detail that you didn't tell me never crossed you're mind?"

"What detail was that?" Sarah asked innocently.

"The detail stating that I was supposed to share a bed with Zuko. It's kind of important to tell me that sort of thing. I thought you were my friend but you're not!" Katara turned away from the Air Queen.

"How dare you question my friendship after I saved you from Zhao!" Fire and air surrounded Katara, trying to smother her as she screamed. Katara turned back to Sarah. The airbender's eyes were no longer just their normal silver. Instead they were a mixture of gold, blue, green, and silver.

"Sarah, stop! You're scaring me! I'm sorry!" The fire faded and the air returned to its normal, insensible position. Katara sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry Katara. I didn't mean to lose control."

"What happened? You were yelling at me. Why was the fire around me and why was the air trying to smother me?" Katara asked.

"The Lady Avatars of the past all took control. Flairese took control over me when that man…" Sarah's voice trailed off.

"I still don't forgive you for not telling me." Katara got up and left.

Sarah groaned. What did it take to get this girl to forgive you? Sarah also left the room and went to meet James who Zuko had just left.

* * *

"How did it go?" Sarah inquired. 

"I lost my temper with Zuko."

"I lost control of my body." James gave her a quizzical look. "The Lady Avatars took over. I scared Katara to death."

"Today just isn't our day for getting through to the younger generation." James chuckled. He stopped when he saw the 'look' on Sarah's face. "Sarah, I know that look. What are you planning?"

"I think we need to let Katara and Zuko battle this out. After all, we didn't make is so they had to share a room."

"Actually, we did. We were the ones who told Iroh to separate his tea and put it in all the rooms."

"They don't know that."

"How is letting them yell at each other solve anything?"

"I meant literally letting them battle. Actually, I'd be the one battling Zuko and it doesn't solve anything. I just want to fight Zuko." She explained.

"Okay. You get Katara and I'll get Zuko." They went their separate ways.

* * *

Katara was sitting on Zuko's bed when Sarah came in and grabbed her wrist. "Come with me." 

"Where are you taking me?" Katara demanded.

"You'll see." Sarah led the struggling waterbender to the training room.

* * *

"Go away James! You too Uncle Iroh!" Zuko told his uncle harshly. 

"No," the uncles said in unison.

Zuko growled in frustration and continued training until the door burst open.

"Zuko, you and Katara need to talk." Sarah told him.

"That's why pulled me out of the room and led me down here. I don't want to talk to him." Katara snapped.

"Yes, that's why. You two need to settle this and leave me and James out of it."

"I won't talk to that commoner. James, tell them to get out." Zuko ordered.

"The last time I checked, _Prince_ Zuko, you're banished and James is of a higher rank as am I. I am a queen whether my nation is alive or not. Therefore you will address me when you wish to speak to me." Sarah said, slipping into a regal tone that she hadn't used for years.

"You have no authority here Queen Sarah." Zuko snarled.

"Are you sure about that?" Sarah challenged.

"I challenge you to an Agni Kai, Zuko said, "using only firebending."

"Perfect, but let's raise the stakes. If I win, you will graciously allow Katara to share your room and you will stop complaining."

"Okay," Zuko agreed, "and if I win, you will never speak that way to me again and the waterbender will stay in a cell."

Katara gulped nervously. "Agreed." Sarah and Zuko shook hand to seal the deal.

* * *

"Sarah, are you crazy? You're way to strong to fight him. You could kill him." James paniced. 

"Calm down James. I won't hurt him, I promise."

"I'm surprised he challenged you in the first place." James admitted. "Doesn't he know what a good firebender you are? I mean, you can beat me without even trying."

"No. We never told him. We told him that you were teaching me. Neither of us mentioned how much better I was because of my 100 years of training."

"I hope he knows what he's doing." James told her.

* * *

Zuko and Sarah faced each other and took their bending stances. Zuko immediately attacked, sending a fireball hurling towards Sarah. She easily dodged it. Next Zuko stomped on the ground and sent a streak of fire rushing at his opponent. Again she easily dodged it. 

The fight went on like that for the next 20 minutes. By then Zuko was about to fall.

"Why won't you fight?" He screamed in rage.

"I am, but unlike you, I'm conserving my energy. You're mistake was attacking without thinking. If you had thought about how much energy your attacks would take you wouldn't be this tired." Sarah explained.

Eventually, Zuko fell down and he remembered when his father gave him the scar. "Finish it." He told her.

She was about to deliver a weak blow-not enough to hurt him but enough to finish the duel- when she noticed something around his neck. She pulled him up and grabbed the necklace. She ran her fingers over the fimilar symbol.

"Where did you that?" She whispered.

* * *

**Me: I can't get the next chapter out until I know Zuko's mother's name for later chapter. Please tell me. Sorry about the sucky action. R'n'R!**


	20. Yuri

**Me: I decided to make up a name so here's the next chapter. Skip this chapter. I found out Zuko's mom's name after I wrote this and published it. Go to the next chapter. Or read this one. The chapters are the same just this one has the wrong name. Although, if you follow the author's notes you should read the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA****

* * *

**

_**Yuri**_

"My mother gave it to me." Zuko told her.

"Yuri," she whispered.

"How do you know my mother's name?" Zuko asked suspicously as he tried to pry Sarah's fingers off the necklace.

Sarah's eyes were fixed on the sky blue necklace and Zuko couldn't take it from her. Her hand moved slowly to her neck and grasped something beneath her shirt, "Our aikou symbol."

"What did you say?"

"She married _him_?" she talked as if he weren't there.

"Sarah, what are you talking about? Who are you talking about?" He questioned.

"Where did your mother come from?" She inquired suddenly.

"She never said. My father didn't even know. Now please, answer my questions." Zuko requested.

"I knew your mother. In fact, she was like my sister."

"What?" Zuko shrieked.

"Her parents died in a battle with some soldiers when she was a baby. Yuri and her older brother, Tei were left alone as orphans. I was good friends with their parents so I took the liberty of raising them. I taught them to fight and airbend." Tears swelled in Sarah's silver eyes.

"My mom was an airbender?" Zuko was shocked.

"Yuri, and Tei, I were the last."

"You're lying!" Zuko shouted.

"Why would I lie about her? I loved her! She was one of my best friends!" Sarah grabbed his necklace and pulled an exact replica from beneath her shirt. "This was our symbol! These are the necklaces we made for each other! We called them our aikou, meaning love, necklaces! Why would I lie about that?"

"How did my parents meet?" Zuko asked trying to change the subject.

"That is a funny story actually. Would you like to hear it?"

"Yes, I would."

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_Sarah danced with a drunken Fire Nation soldier as Yuri did the same at a bar in the Fire Nation._

"_You are so beautiful," he murmured in Sarah's ear._

"_Thank you," she replied as the song ended. "I think I'll sit this one out. My feet hurt."_

"_Okay, but you have to dance with me to the next song."_

_Sarah went over to sit next to Yuri. "This is too easy. There must be about a hundred soldiers here."_

"_I know. When should we do it?" Yuri asked._

"_During the next song," they sat together for the rest of the dance and then went back with their soldier._

_As they danced Sarah and Yuri drew a knife out of their belts. Sarah winked at Yuri and at the same time plunged the knives into the soldiers' hearts. The music stopped and all the other soldiers drew their swords._

_Sarah and Yuri smiled at each other and started to fight. Sarah and Yuri emerged victorious from the tavern after half an hour._

"_That was fun." Yuri giggled._

"_You'd think that after having hundreds of soldiers being killed in bars the Fire Nation would forbid them from getting drunk. I mean, over the past two years we must have killed 600 soldiers. We probably killed about seventy-five tonight." Sarah said._

"_I wonder how Tei fared at the tavern he went to," commented Yuki._

"_I'm sure he's fine. He always is." Sarah reassured her._

"_You're right. So, where are we going to next?" Yuri asked._

_Sarah looked around and when she saw no one there pulled Yuri into a dark ally. "We are going to the palace to cause some major damage."_

"_Yes!" Sarah clasped her hand over the energetic girl's mouth._

"_Be quiet. We can't get caught. We have to change into our black clothes right now so we can stay in the shadows and not be seen. When we get to the palace we will hide our black clothes and put on our dresses."_

"_But Sarah, the dresses we wore to the bar isn't fancy enough. They'll all know we don't belong."_

"_I brought other dresses. They're just like the dresses the concubines for the Fire Lord and Prince Ozai wear. Trust me, we'll fit in." Sarah went deep into the shadows and came back with a bag of clothes. She took out a red dress. "Here," she handed it to Yuri, "put this on."_

_Yuri obeyed and Sarah changed into an identical outfit. After they had changed they put on dark clothing as black as night over the bright red._

_They soon left the ally. Sarah carried the bag with her as the crept quickly through the deserted streets of the Fire Nation. It took them an hour of dodging in and out of shadows so they would not be seen before they reached the palace._

_Once they were there they striped off their black clothes, hid them, and entered the palace. It wasn't hard to find the throne room where nobles and soldiers danced with their wives or consorts, surrounding the Fire Lord and the two princes._

_Sarah and Yuri acted like concubines and stood around watching the Fire Lord and Prince Ozai. To anyone else they would seem to be talking about them but really Sarah was muttering instructions to Yuri._

"_You dance with Ozai. I'll take care of the Fire Lord." Sarah whispered._

"_What about Iroh?" Yuri questioned._

"_Leave him. He's not the tyrant Ozai and their father are. It would be a blessing for him to take his father's place." Sarah stopped talking when the Fire Lord came over._

"_Will you dance with me?" He asked Sarah._

_She bowed, "It would be an honor my lord." She took the hand he offered her and swept gracefully onto the dance floor._

_Ozai quickly imated his father and began to dance with Yuri. Soon all eyes were on the two girls. After the dance the nobles and soldiers continueasly asked them to dance. Two hours passed before Sarah and Yuri managed to break away from the entourage of men following them._

"_We need to act now, before it's too late. On my signal kill whoever you're with carefully and bring him over to a corner where no one can see him." Sarah instructed._

"_Okay," Yuri replied and they went to dance with some soldiers._

_Sarah was dancing with Ozai and Yuri was dancing with the Fire Lord when some soldiers noticed that about fifty guards were missing. It took another five minutes before someone found several dead bodies and the girls were about to kill the Fire Lord and Prince Ozai. Knife in hand Sarah prepared to strike when the alarm sounded._

"_Ahhhhhhhhh! Murders!" a young girl screamed as she ran from a corner._

_Sarah silently cursed and attacked. Prince Ozai stopped the blow and pressed the blade to her neck._

_Yuri attacked the Fire Lord but he to stopped it. He held her hands behind her back as she struggled to get loose and run to free Sarah._

"_Who are you?" Ozai demanded of Sarah._

"_Some one who you should fear. Some one who wants revenge." Sarah twisted out of his arms, grabbed Yuri, and ran._

_Soldiers followed but the girls were too quick. Sarah regretted having to leave behind the black outfits but they were too close to the palace. They ran to where their other clothes were hidden and changed into normal Fire Nation outfits. Sarah hid her hair know that it would be a give away to who she was._

"_What do we do about the dresses?" Yuri asked._

"_We leave them. I'll come back for them later. Come on." They went back onto the streets and to their surprise the soldiers had not yet passed._

"_Sarah, what are we going to do? They'll find us for sure." Yuri's voice was urgent._

"_Yuri, do you trust me?"_

"_Of course I do."_

_Sarah drew her dagger and Yuri knew what she was going to do. "Scream as loud as you can." Sarah told her and plunged the dagger into Yuri's stomach._

_The guards heard the scream and came running. Yuri laid on the ground and _

_Sarah sat next to her._

"_Lea! Lea, please be alright!" Sarah cried._

"_What happened?" a soldier asked gruffly._

"_These two girls in red dresses ran by. They looked suspious and seemed afraid when they saw us. The elder one stabbed my sister in the stomach. Is Lea going to be alright?" Sarah said as she sobbed._

"_She'll be fine. Can you take your sister home or do you need assistance?" asked a kindly soldier who had pushed the first aside._

"_I think I can make it. It isn't far. Thank you."_

"_Don't cry. It's okay. Take care and report it if you see these girls again." The soldier wiped Sarah's tears away and left._

"_Sarah," Yuri moaned when they were alone._

"_Shh, I'll take you home and heal you." Sarah, with much trouble, picked Yuri up and took her to the inn they were staying at with Tei._

_Sarah knocked on the door and Tei opened it. "What happened?" His eyes were wide with fear for his younger sister._

"_It's nothing." Yuri assured him. Sarah set her on the bed and healed her. Yuri breathed a sigh of relief._

"_That is much better. Why am I always the one to be stabbed? It's not fair." Yuri pouted._

"_There are two reasons. One, how am I supposed to heal myself if I'm weak from being stabbed. Two, there is no way that you'd be able to carry me." Sarah explained._

"_She's right Yuri. You're to weak to carry her." Tei taunted._

"_Hey! I bet we killed more people than you." she challanged determined to defeat her brother._

"_I killed about fifty. How many did you kill?" Tei accepted._

"_About one hundred each," the two girls replied._

_Tei shook his head. "I don't know how you do it. I can kill up to fifty yet you two can kill one hundred in a single night. It amazes me."_

"_I know we do, but you're still an exellent fighter. After all, we both had a great teacher." Yuri indicated Sarah._

"_You're just saying that because I'm your big brother and you want to make me feel better." Tei accused._

"_I know, I hope it worked because now I'm going to tell you the truth. Sarah and I are much better warriors." Yuri teased._

"_That is so true." Sarah agreed. Both girls laughed._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"Why would my father marry someone who tried to kill my grandfather and murders so many of our soldiers?" Zuko demanded.

"I don't think he knew. Yuri had changed a lot by the next time she went back to the Fire Nation. Your father wouldn't have reconginzed her easily. All I know is that I couldn't go with her and when she came home she told me and Tei that she was in love with someone from the Fire Nation. When we asked her if he had killed any of our people she said no. That was a lie. She went back to marry the mysterious man that Tei and I had never met. She wrote often but eventually the letters became scarcer and scarcer. Soon she stopped writing. I went to investigate and learned she was dead." Sarah informed Zuko.

"She was poisoned. She kept me from drinking some milk and drank it herself. She died the next day." Zuko told her solomly.

"I wish I knew who poisoned her." Sarah sighed.

Iroh bowed his head in respect for Fire Lady Yuri. Katara and James did the same and didn't interupt the moment between Sarah and Zuko.

* * *

**Me: Wow, I wrote four pages and about three of them were the flashback. I hope you all liked it.**

**Gidget: Hi people! I'm back!**

**Me: Oh no! HELP!**


	21. Ursa

Yuri Updated

**Me: This is so not fair. I have to go through and change Yuri to Ursa because that's Zuko's mother's name.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA

* * *

**

_**Ursa**_

"My mother gave it to me." Zuko told her.

"Ursa," she whispered.

"How do you know my mother's name?" Zuko asked suspicously as he tried to pry Sarah's fingers off the necklace.

Sarah's eyes were fixed on the sky blue necklace and Zuko couldn't take it from her. Her hand moved slowly to her neck and grasped something beneath her shirt, "Our aikou symbol."

"What did you say?"

"She married _him_?" she talked as if he weren't there.

"Sarah, what are you talking about? Who are you talking about?" He questioned.

"Where did your mother come from?" She inquired suddenly.

"She never said. My father didn't even know. Now please, answer my questions." Zuko requested.

"I knew your mother. In fact, she was like my sister."

"What?" Zuko shrieked.

"Her parents died in a battle with some soldiers when she was a baby. Ursa and her older brother, Tei were left alone as orphans. I was good friends with their parents so I took the liberty of raising them. I taught them to fight and airbend." Tears swelled in Sarah's silver eyes.

"My mom was an airbender?" Zuko was shocked.

"Ursa, and Tei, I were the last."

"You're lying!" Zuko shouted.

"Why would I lie about her? I loved her! She was one of my best friends!" Sarah grabbed his necklace and pulled an exact replica from beneath her shirt. "This was our symbol! These are the necklaces we made for each other! We called them our aikou, meaning love, necklaces! Why would I lie about that?"

"How did my parents meet?" Zuko asked trying to change the subject.

"That is a funny story actually. Would you like to hear it?"

"Yes, I would."

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_Sarah danced with a drunken Fire Nation soldier as Ursa did the same at a bar in the Fire Nation._

"_You are so beautiful," he murmured in Sarah's ear._

"_Thank you," she replied as the song ended. "I think I'll sit this one out. My feet hurt."_

"_Okay, but you have to dance with me to the next song."_

_Sarah went over to sit next to Ursa. "This is too easy. There must be about a hundred soldiers here."_

"_I know. When should we do it?" Ursa asked._

"_During the next song," they sat together for the rest of the dance and then went back with their soldier._

_As they danced Sarah and Ursa drew a knife out of their belts. Sarah winked at Ursa and at the same time plunged the knives into the soldiers' hearts. The music stopped and all the other soldiers drew their swords._

_Sarah and Ursa smiled at each other and started to fight. Sarah and Ursa emerged victorious from the tavern after half an hour._

"_That was fun." Yuri giggled._

"_You'd think that after having hundreds of soldiers being killed in bars the Fire Nation would forbid them from getting drunk. I mean, over the past two years we must have killed 600 soldiers. We probably killed about seventy-five tonight." Sarah said._

"_I wonder how Tei fared at the tavern he went to," commented Ursa._

"_I'm sure he's fine. He always is." Sarah reassured her._

"_You're right. So, where are we going to next?" Ursa asked._

_Sarah looked around and when she saw no one there pulled Ursa into a dark ally. "We are going to the palace to cause some major damage."_

"_Yes!" Sarah clasped her hand over the energetic girl's mouth._

"_Be quiet. We can't get caught. We have to change into our black clothes right now so we can stay in the shadows and not be seen. When we get to the palace we will hide our black clothes and put on our dresses."_

"_But Sarah, the dresses we wore to the bar aren't fancy enough. They'll all know we don't belong."_

"_I brought other dresses. They're just like the dresses the concubines for the Fire Lord and Prince Ozai wear. Trust me, we'll fit in." Sarah went deep into the shadows and came back with a bag of clothes. She took out a red dress. "Here," she handed it to Ursa, "put this on."_

_Ursa obeyed and Sarah changed into an identical outfit. After they had changed they put on dark clothing as black as night over the bright red._

_They soon left the ally. Sarah carried the bag with her as the crept quickly through the deserted streets of the Fire Nation. It took them an hour of dodging in and out of shadows so they would not be seen before they reached the palace._

_Once they were there they striped off their black clothes, hid them, and entered the palace. It wasn't hard to find the throne room where nobles and soldiers danced with their wives or consorts, surrounding the Fire Lord and the two princes._

_Sarah and Ursa acted like concubines and stood around watching the Fire Lord and Prince Ozai. To anyone else they would seem to be talking about them but really Sarah was muttering instructions to Ursa._

"_You dance with Ozai. I'll take care of the Fire Lord." Sarah whispered._

"_What about Iroh?" Yuri questioned._

"_Leave him. He's not the tyrant Ozai and their father are. It will be a blessing when he takes his father's place." Sarah stopped talking when the Fire Lord came over._

"_Will you dance with me?" He asked Sarah._

_She bowed, "It would be an honor my lord." She took the hand he offered her and swept gracefully onto the dance floor._

_Ozai quickly imated his father and began to dance with Ursa. Soon all eyes were on the two girls. After the dance the nobles and soldiers continueasly asked them to dance. Two hours passed before Sarah and Ursa managed to break away from the entourage of men following them._

"_We need to act now, before it's too late. On my signal kill whoever you're with carefully and bring him over to a corner where no one can see him." Sarah instructed._

"_Okay," Ursa replied and they went to dance with some soldiers._

_Sarah was dancing with Ozai and Ursa was dancing with the Fire Lord when some soldiers noticed that about fifty guards were missing. It took another five minutes before someone found several dead bodies and the girls were about to kill the Fire Lord and Prince Ozai. Knife in hand Sarah prepared to strike when the alarm sounded._

"_Ahhhhhhhhh! Murders!" a young girl screamed as she ran from a corner._

_Sarah silently cursed and attacked. Prince Ozai stopped the blow and pressed the blade to her neck._

_Ursa attacked the Fire Lord but he to stopped it. He held her hands behind her back as she struggled to get loose and run to free Sarah._

"_Who are you?" Ozai demanded of Sarah._

"_Some one who you should fear. Some one who wants revenge." Sarah twisted out of his arms, grabbed Ursa, and ran._

_Soldiers followed but the girls were too quick. Sarah regretted having to leave behind the black outfits but they were too close to the palace. They ran to where their other clothes were hidden and changed into normal Fire Nation outfits. Sarah hid her hair know that it would be a give away to who she was._

"_What do we do about the dresses?" Ursa asked._

"_We leave them. I'll come back for them later. Come on." They went back onto the streets and to their surprise the soldiers had not yet passed._

"_Sarah, what are we going to do? They'll find us for sure." Yuri's voice was urgent._

"_Ursa, do you trust me?"_

"_Of course I do."_

_Sarah drew her dagger and Ursa knew what she was going to do. "Scream as loud as you can." Sarah told her and plunged the dagger into Ursa's stomach._

_The guards heard the scream and came running. Ursa laid on the ground and _

_Sarah sat next to her._

"_Lea! Lea, please be alright!" Sarah cried._

"_What happened?" a soldier asked gruffly._

"_These two girls in red dresses ran by. They looked suspious and seemed afraid when they saw us. The elder one stabbed my sister in the stomach. Is Lea going to be alright?" Sarah said as she sobbed._

"_She'll be fine. Can you take your sister home or do you need assistance?" asked a kindly soldier who had pushed the first aside._

"_I think I can make it. It isn't far. Thank you."_

"_Don't cry. It's okay. Take care and report it if you see these girls again." The soldier wiped Sarah's tears away and left._

"_Sarah," Ursa moaned when they were alone._

"_Shh, I'll take you home and heal you." Sarah, with much trouble, picked Ursa up and took her to the inn they were staying at with Tei._

_Sarah knocked on the door and Tei opened it. "What happened?" His eyes were wide with fear for his younger sister._

"_It's nothing." Ursa assured him. Sarah set her on the bed and healed her. Ursa breathed a sigh of relief._

"_That is much better. Why am I always the one to be stabbed? It's not fair." Ursa pouted._

"_There are two reasons. One, how am I supposed to heal myself if I'm weak from being stabbed. Two, there is no way that you'd be able to carry me." Sarah explained._

"_She's right Ursa. You're to weak to carry her." Tei taunted._

"_Hey! I bet we killed more people than you." she challanged determined to defeat her brother._

"_I killed about fifty. How many did you kill?" Tei accepted._

"_About one hundred each," the two girls replied._

_Tei shook his head. "I don't know how you do it. I can kill up to fifty yet you two can kill one hundred in a single night. It amazes me."_

"_I know we do, but you're still an exellent fighter. After all, we both had a great teacher." Ursa indicated Sarah._

"_You're just saying that because I'm your big brother and you want to make me feel better." Tei accused._

"_I know, I hope it worked because now I'm going to tell you the truth. Sarah and I are much better warriors." Ursa teased._

"_That is so true." Sarah agreed. Both girls laughed._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"Why would my father marry someone who tried to kill my grandfather and murders so many of our soldiers?" Zuko demanded.

"I don't think he knew. Ursa had changed a lot by the next time she went back to the Fire Nation. Your father wouldn't have reconginzed her easily. All I know is that I couldn't go with her and when she came home she told me and Tei that she was in love with someone from the Fire Nation. When we asked her if he had killed any of our people she said no. That was a lie. She went back to marry the mysterious man that Tei and I had never met. She wrote often but eventually the letters became scarcer and scarcer. Soon she stopped writing. I went to investigate and learned she was dead." Sarah informed Zuko.

"She just disappeared one night. I never saw her again." Zuko said sadly.

Iroh bowed his head in honor of his sister-in–law. Katara and James did the same and didn't interupt the moment between Sarah and Zuko.


	22. Young Love

**Gidget: I was in the Bahamas on a cruise. Did you all miss me?**

**Me: Here's some money. Go back.**

**Gidget: I'll take the money but I missed all the reviewers. You go.**

**Me: I can't. I'm the author. **

**Disclaimer: I'll be happy to trade Gidget for A: TLA. Infact, I'd trade her for a bag of Cheeto puffs. Any takers?

* * *

**

_**Young Love**_

Sarah, James, and Iroh skipped dinner that night (on purpose) so Katara was stuck eating with Zuko.

"I'm sorry about your mother Zuko. I know how it feels." Katara said.

"You can never know how I feel. You'll never know how it feels to lose your mother!" Zuko growled in response.

"The Fire Nation killed my mother when I was younger." Katara told him fiercely.

Zuko was shocked. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about trying to apologize. You're too insensitive to really mean it." she replied coldly.

"That's not true!" Zuko shouted.

Katara froze at the dangerous tone in his voice.

"I'm sorry I yelled," he apologized seeing the her fear.

Katara still didn't speak but relaxed and nodded to show she heard. Zuko noticed for the first time how beautiful she looked. She wasn't wearing her normal traveling clothes, but a Water Tribe dress that complimented her every feature.

Zuko scolded himself for his thoughts. _'I can't fall in love with a waterbender. She isn't even royal.'_

"Zuko, are you all right?" Katara's voice brought him back to the real world.

"I'm fine."

When dinner was over they went to walk on the deck. Zuko couldn't help but think his earlier thoughts.

"The moon looks so beautiful. I love how it makes the water look calm and peaceful." Katara sighed.

"It does look pretty." Zuko agreed.

Katara felt herself falling in love. There was no doubt about it. She was in love with Pince Zuko. _'I can't do this. I can't love him. I'd be betraying Aang.'_ Katara thought.

Katara and Zuko looked into each other's eyes and in that moment they knew that the other cared for them. Zuko grabbed her waist, pulled her to him, and kissed her passionatly. Katara was shock by the sudden movement but didn't pull away. The kiss ended too quickly for the two teenagers because they needed air.

"I love you Katara. I've tried not to but I can't help it." Zuko confessed.

"I love you too." Katara informed him but Zuko already knew. They resumed kissing.

* * *

Sarah, James, and Iroh were watching behind a door on deck. 

"Finally," Sarah whispered when Zuko and Katara kissed the first time.

"I liked trying to get Zuko and Katara to fall in love, but now that they are I wish they weren't." James told Sarah and Iroh.

"Why not?" Iroh asked.

"I miss trying to get them alone and to talk." James confided.

Sarah laughed. "Our job isn't done yet. We still have to keep them together."

* * *

**Me: Let's just pretend that the Blind Bandit episode magicaly happened while Katara and Sarah are with Zuko and James. So now, Toph is traveling with Aang and Sokka.

* * *

**

Aang, Sokka, and Toph were trying to find any sign of Zuko's trail.

"Why did Prince Zuko kidnap your sister and Katara?" Toph asked while she played with Momo.

"He was trying to capture me, but Sarah and Katara work just as well for him because he knows I'll come after them." Aang told her.

"Then why are we going?" Toph asked.

"Because we want our sister back." Sokka snapped. He was sick of Toph's questions.

In response Toph threw a rock that had been in her bag at him using earthbending.

"Ow, that hurt!" Sokka yelled. Aang and Toph just laughed at the fuming Water Tribe boy.

* * *

**Me: WE FINALLY GET TO ZUTARA! I know it was a short chapter but it was Zutara wasn't it. That makes up for the shortness.**

**Gidget: No it doesn't.**

**Me: Yes it does so shut up and go away. Far, far away. Go to the North Pole.**

**Gidget: I'd rather stay here.**

**Me: R'n'R!**


	23. Not So New Enemy

**Me: I have to do the disclaimer before Gidget gets here.**

**Gidget: Hi!**

**Me: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!**

**Disclaimer: Do I have to spell it out? I do not own Avatar.**

**Me: This happened the morning before the Zutara kiss.

* * *

**

**_Not So New Enemy_**

"Princess Azula, you wanted to see me?" Keith entered Azula's room.

"Yes, I did. You informed me last night that there was someone else that we could use to kill my brother and capture your daughter. I would like to bring this person aboard."

"He is a skilled warrior. He will not fail you. And Princess, I have been thinking about how you will kill your brother. You talk of killing him where you find him. I think it would be better to capture him and take him back to the Fire Nation. You could kill him in public. That would strip him of any honor he may have." Keith suggested.

"That is a brilliant idea. I'll do it. I want Zuko to suffer any way possible. Now, what is the name of this person I'm bringing aboard."

"His name is Jet."

Several hours later Keith and Azula were walking through a forest.

"When I said 'let's go get him' I didn't know it meant hiking in the woods. Where is this Jet person?" Azula complained.

"Right here."

Azula whipped around, prepared to fight. She found herself face to face with a boy no older than herself.

"Hello Jet." Keith said.

"Hello Keith. I came alone as you requested. You said something about needing my help."

"We're trying to capture Prince Zuko, General Iroh, my daughter, and a waterbender named Katara. You once mentioned in one of your letters that the Avatar came here with Katara and her brother. Would you like to get Katara back?"

An evil grin found it's way onto Jet's face. "I'll come."

"Good. Let's go." Azula spoke to Jet for the first time.

* * *

**(Later that night after the kiss.)**

Zuko and Katara walked into James' room holding hands.

"What are you two so happy about?" Sarah asked.

"Sarah, Zuko and I are kind of together now. Is that okay?" Katara said, fearing Sarah answer.

"Finally. I've been waiting for this. Of couse its okay." Sarah told her.

"You're not mad?" Katara was bewilderd. She had been sure Sarah would be furious.

"No. Now its time for the both of you to go to bed and go to _sleep_." Sarah pused them out of the room.

"That was awkward." Zuko said.

"Yeah it was. She's right. We should get to bed. Come on." Katara sighed.

The next morning at breakfast no one said anything. Finally Iroh tried to break the silence.

"I hear that you two are together now. Congaulations." He was talking to Zuko and Katara.

"You've heard correctly Uncle." Zuko told him.

"Zuko let's go on deck." Katara pulled him away from the table.

Once they were on deck she said, "Why is no one talking?"

"I don't know. I think they planned this." Zuko informed her.

"What do you mean?"

"I think they've been trying to get us together and I think they purposely skipped dinner last night so we could be alone. I'm glad they did."

"Me too." Katara smiled.

They kissed again and broke apart when Iroh, James, and Sarah came up.

"We know." Katara said.

"So much for keeping them from finding out." Sarah sighed.

"Why didn't you just tell us Sarah? Why keep it secret?" Katara asked.

Sarah stared and said, "Zuko would have killed us all if we told you. We might have told you later but not while the plan was still in motion. Now let's all go to bed before Zuko gets angry." She turned and left. Zuko and Katara shrugged and followed.

* * *

At the same time Azula was meeting with Jet and Keith in the captian's quarters. They were standing over a map. 

"Zuko will be heading toward the Fire Nation in hopes that the Avatar will follow him to get back the girls. He'll be near enough to land in case something goes wrong but he'll be out of sight from a shore. In the direction and speed we're going we should find him in a day or two."

"What are your orders for when we find them?" Keith inquired.

"We will go aboard with Jet. No one else is to come. Keith, capture the Lady Avatar first. She's the most dangerous. Then get Zuko, James, and Iroh. Jet, you'll be expected to help capture them. When they're in my you may take the waterbender." She instructed.

"Purfect," Jet purred evily.

They said their goodnights and left for their rooms.

As Jet walked down the hall he whispered, "Finally I'll have you back Katara. You will be mine."

* * *

**Me: Jet is evil!**

**Jet: I'll finally get Katara back!**

**Katara: Colorcrystals, how could you do this to me?**

**Me: Relax. Do don't honestly think I'd let him hurt you? Sokka would kill me.**

**Katara: Surprisinly that makes me feel better.**

**Me: Anyway, this story is coming to an end.**

**Gidget: That's a relief. I won't have to endure this torture any longer. Hurray!**

**Me: R'n'R!**


	24. Angel of Death

**Me: Hi people! About this story coming to an end, this is the last chapter. Don't worry, there's a sequel that I'm working on right now called Lady Avatar 2: Revenge and Victory.**

**Gidget: You're writing another one? How much are you going to put these poor reviewers through?**

**Me: Shut up and go away before I make you.**

**Gidget: -starts whimpering- Mommy!**

**Colorcrystals' mother: Colorcrystals, what did you do to her?**

**Me: Nothing.**

**Mother: Then why is she crying?**

**Me: She hates me and wants to get me in trouble.**

**Mother: No TV for a month.**

**Me: -stares at Mother with mouth open- This is so unfair.**

**Disclaimer: You know what I own and what I don't own.**

**Skip this chapter. I published it right before the Zuko episode came on. I thought his mom was dead but since we don't know I had to rewrite some of this. If you're curious to see what I wrote then read this and then read the next chapter. If you like to follow author's notes or want to know about when the sequel comes out read the bottom.

* * *

**

_**Angel of Death**_

Azula was wrong. Very wrong. She realized it after going a week without running into her big brother. Zuko figured Zhao would come after him and ordered a course close to land. Much closer than Azula thought. By the time she realized this Zuko and his crew were almost a week a head of them.

But, Azula was also right. Zuko was heading for the Fire Nation, although whether he was still concerned with capturing the Avatar (or if he even remembered) still remained to be discovered. For the past two weeks, since Katara and Zuko figured out that Sarah, James, and Iroh set them up, Zuko had been only concering himself with Katara. He followed her almost everywhere (although she didn't know). He hadn't been this happy since before he was banished.

During this time Aang was busy learning Earthbending and looking for the girls. Little did he know that they weren't to worried about being found or not. Infact, Katara had hardly thought about him. Sarah on the other hand worried about his safety all the time but she knew he was fine so she didn't pay much attention to these worries.

Zuko was sure they were safe from Zhao (which they were) but wasn't happy to see another Fire Nation ship in the distance.

"Captain!" Zuko called.

"Yes Prince Zuko?" the captain replied.

"Speed up. We need to get out of the sight of that boat." Zuko ordered. He knew that a Fire Nation ship following them couldn't be good.

* * *

A few hours later the ship was even closer. Zuko wasn't happy. 

"James!" he called.

"What Zuko?" James asked.

"We have to hide Sarah and Katara. There's a Fire Nation ship following us. It'll be on top of us in about 10 minutes. I won't let them take Katara from me."

"Alright, but first, we have to find them." Zuko and James began to hunt them down.

* * *

If Zuko and James had waited just three more minutes to leave the deck they would have been there when Sarah and Katara came up. 

"Where are the boys?" Katara asked.

"I don't know but look at that ship. It's really close. Too close. We have to find Zuko and James." Sarah told her. They went in search of their boyfriends.

* * *

About two minutes later they met on the deck while three figures rushed into the shadows. 

"Katara! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you!" Zuko pulled her into an embrace.

"We've been looking for you too. What is the deal with that ship?" Sarah demanded.

"Hello little dove."

Sarah's eyes grew wide and she whipped around. "What are you doing here?" "He's come here with me." Azula showed herself. "Hello Zuzu." Zuko flinched at the horrid nickname.

"What do you want?" He snarled.

"I just want to kill you. That's what Daddy wants me to do to." She smirked when she saw the look on Zuko's face. "You still thought Daddy was going to let you come home didn't you. Be reasonable Zuko. If he wanted you home he would have lifted you banishment, Avatar or no. Face it Zuzu. I'm the favorite. He loves me not you. Nobody loves you."

"That's not true." Katara cried.

"Hello Katara. I always knew we'd meet again." Jet said.

"No," she whispered in fear.

"I'll fight before I let you kill me or hurt anyone." Zuko growled as he pushed Katara behind him. James did the same to Sarah.

"Silly Zuzu, I'm not going to kill you here. I'm going to take you home and kill you there along with Uncle James and Uncle Iroh. In Daddy's eyes you're all traitors."

"What about me and Katara? You have no power over us Princess Azula." Sarah said coldly.

"I've already promised Jet that he can have the water wretch. My father is very interested in having the fifth Lady Avatar." Sarah paled as Azula spoke. How did she know? Azula must have seen the question in her eyes. "Oh yes. I know thanks to Admiral Zhao and the letter he sent me." Sarah vowed to kill Zhao if she ever got the chance.

"You can't take us all. It's five against three. You can't win." Sarah told her.

"Oh yes we can. I'm a firebending prodigy. You can't beat me with your airbending. Zuko could never hope to be as good of a firebender as me. Iroh and James, the three of us can handle them. And the water wretch is as good as captured." As Azula talked Sarah slipped away to James' room where her stuff was. She grabbed her twin swords, much like the ones belonging to the Blue Spirit, and changed into a fighting outfit she often wore when she and Yuri were killing soldiers in bars. She put her hair up and covered her face in make-up. Then she went back to the door leading to the deck. She waited there with her swords sheathed. Soon she got tired of the Princess's chatting.

"So now, I'm going to capture you." Azula finished.

'_Finally. I thought I'd be hiding here for years.'_ Sarah thought.

She could hear the battle. She used her bending to blast open the door. Everyone stopped and stared at her. She drew the swords and went out to fight.

"So the Angel of Death has returned." Keith whispered.

"That's not possible. The Angel of Death is a firebender." Azula mumured.

"Fight me Azula! Fight me and try to win! I dare you!" Sarah challanged. Azula hesitated. She knew the stories about how the Angels of Death would come and seduce soldiers in taverns and then kill them. Here was the only one of the two left that hadn't been seen in years and she was challanging the Princess of the Fire Nation.

Keith snuck behinde Sarah and grabbed her. Azula was amazed at his strength. "This is the Angel of Death." He wiped the make-up from the girl's face. "More like Queen Sarah of the Air Nation, also known as my daughter." He put a knife to Sarah's throat and said, "You thought you could keep your identity a secret didn't you? Of course you did. You've killed so many Fire Nation soldiers or at least you did until Yuri left."

"How do you know about Yuri?" Sarah demanded.

"Why are you talking about my mother?" Azula screached.

"Yuri was an airbender too. She left you for the Fire Nation." Keith said.

"No, she left for love. She loved Ozai." Sarah argued.

"Are you sure she didn't just want to leave you?" Keith tormented.

"Yuri love me and Tei! She would have never left her family for anything except love!" Sarah fought his grip.

"I'm not so sure about that." Keith enjoyed this.

"She left her family to spend the rest of her life with him and he betrayed her! He killed her! He poisoned her!" Sarah sceamed.

"No, he didn't kill her. I did." Sarah stopped squiming at her father's words. Tears filled her eyes.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_Yuri walked the halls of the Fire Nation palace. She had just said goodnight to the little ones and was going to find Ozai. She looked around to make sure no one was around. No one was there. She summoned an airball._

_Oh! It felt so good to airbend again. It had been months since she had last had a chance._

"_Fire Lady Yuri!" Keith called._

_The airball disappeared. "Yes Keith?"_

"_You're an airbender!" He accused._

"_Don't be silly. They're all dead. I can't bend anything."_

"_Oh really. Then how could I see you airbending?"_

"_Your eyes must have been playing tricks on you." She raised her hand to preform a gesture but he grabbed it. "Let go of me."_

"_Where is your queen?" She pulled away from him._

"_I don't know what you're talking about." She hurried away and went to bed.

* * *

_

"_Darling, what would you say if I told you that I was, oh I don't know, one of the last airbenders and I served the Air Queen?" Yuri asked her husband._

"_I'd be upset that you didn't tell. Why? Are you?" Ozai asked._

"_No," she lied, "I just wanted to know if you would still love me. I think it would be natural for me not to tell you though. I mean with the war and everything."_

"_Let's not think about you being an airbender and serving the Air Queen." That answered Yuri's questioned._

"_You're right dear." She held back tears.

* * *

_

_The next night she was tucking in her children._

"_Mommy, am I like Daddy?" Little Azula asked._

"_Yes, very much so." Yuri told her daughter._

"_Am I like Daddy too, Mommy?" Zuko asked._

"_No, dear," Zuko looked sad but Yuri wasn't finished, "You're just like me." That cheered him up a bit._

_Azula was already asleep but Yuri and her son continued to talk._

"_One of these days I'm going to take you to meet your aunt and uncle." She informed him._

"_Really? Are they married? Where do they live? Do they live in the Fire Nation?" Zuko questioned._

"_One question at a time little one. No, neither my brother or sister are married. No, they don't live in the Fire Nation."_

"_Then where do they live? Do they live in the Water Tribe?"_

"_No."_

"_Earth Kingdom?"_

"_No, they live on a small island."_

"_But I thought you were royal Mommy."_

"_My sister was practicly a queen so I am royal."_

"_What are my grandparents like? Will I meet them?" Zuko continued asking._

"_I never knew my parents. They died when I was a baby." Yuri answered._

"_Then who raised you?"_

"_My sister."_

"_How can your sister raise you and my uncle?"_

"_Well, she really wasn't my sister, but she always treated my brother and I like we were her family. In a way we are. We're just not related."_

"_I can't wait to meet them." Zuko mummbled as he began to fall asleep. Soon he snoring._

_Yuri quietly left with on last longing look at her children. How she wished she could take them with her! She decided that one day she would come back for them and take them to Airbender Island._

_She tip-toed back to her room and grabbed the things she had packed for the journey. Then she made for the throne room. She left a note on Ozai's throne. It read:_

_I serve the Air Queen._

_Yuri began to go to the door but she sensed someone. She quickly turned around._

"_So I was right. You are an airbender. I serve the Air Queen, what a sweet sentiment. I'll be sure to tell my daughter." Keith laughed._

"_Go away or I'll scream." Yuri threatened._

"_And risk getting caught leaving? I don't think so. Anyway, have you forgotten that I'm a soldier? I'll just say that I came to see what made you scream. I could kill you right now and I'd get away with it by saying I found your body. Just know this: If you leave I'll tell Ozai that you are a traitor gone to help the rebels which is the truth. If you don't leave I'll always's be watching you." Keith vanished._

_Yuri decided to stay. That way she could tell Ozai the truth herself, but she knew she wouldn't. Yuri had to find a way to tell him without him killing her or her family.

* * *

_

_That next night Zuko sat in the kitchen drinking a glass of milk._

"_Hi Mommy!" He said when she walked in. "Do you want some milk?"_

"_I'll get it myself dear.." She replied and sat with her son._

_When she had finished her glass Zuko hadn't even drinken half. All of a sudden she saw something, or someone, that looked an aweful lot like Keith rushing out of the room. She turned her gaze to the milk in Zuko's glass. It didn't look right._

"_Mommy I don't feel so good." Zuko told her cluching his stomache._

"_Come here Zuko." She ordered._

_Zuko came to her. She picked him up and rushed him out of the room. She to the hospital wing in the palace._

"_The Prince has been poisoned!" She cried._

_Healers rushed to her and grabbed the boy from her and laid him on a bed. She stood over him and fainted.

* * *

_

_When Ozai couldn't be by his wife and son's side James was. Yuri awoke once when James was there. She had always tried to get him alone but had never suceeded. Now was her chance._

"_James," she groaned._

"_Yuri, you're awake. Thank Agni. I'll go get Ozai." He said and was about to stand when Yuri pulled him to her._

"_James, she's alive," she mumurmed. Yuri couldn't last much longer._

"_What?" James didn't understand._

"_The Lady Avatar is alive." With those words she died._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"You poisoned her." Sarah whispered.

"My mother was weak. As much as I love her, she was an enemy from what I understand. It's good Keith killed her." Zuko couldn't believe that his sister was saying that.

"I'll kill you!" Sarah yelled and broke away from her father. "You don't deserve to live."

The good in Keith seized this moment to appear. "Little dove, I love you." He whispered so only Sarah could hear. Then the evil in him regained control.

Sarah rememberd what her mother had said and turned to Azula and Jet. The others joined in the battle. Unfortunately Azula won. She suceeded in knocking out Zuko and Iroh. Jet took out Katara and took advantage of Sarah's hesitation when Katara fell. Keith defeated James with much difficulty and many injuries.

The three took their captives to a cell and chained their hands and feet up on a wall. Jet took Katara to his room where he tied her to a chair. Azula ordered a course for the Fire Nation.

* * *

**Me: Yeah! It's finished. This is one of the longest chapters I've ever written. I hope you all enjoyed the story and will read the sequel.**

**Gidget: You didn't end it very well.**

**Me: I know but the story isn't really finished. You have to read the sequel. R'n'R! Oh and for your FYI, I just spent four hours writing this when I should have been doing my homework. I must really love you all. And if you want me to PM you when the sequel is out please state it in the review. If you are anonymous and you want me to email you state that in the email as well, just don't forget to put that in your review. If you just want to wait and check every few days then I should have the sequel out in about two or three weeks. (It will probably be out in the next few days but if not then it might take a couple weeks. Not my fault. Blame school.) I might post an author's note on this story as a new chapter if I can get a date that it'll be out or when I post it so if this story is on alert you might want to keep it there. Bye!**


	25. Angel of Death Updated

Updated

**Me: Hey everyone! Did you all see the Zuko episode. It was awesome but I found out that Ursa (Yuri) didn't die so now I have to rewrite all of the Flashback and change wherever I wrote Yuri to Ursa.

* * *

**

_**Angel of Death**_

Azula was wrong. Very wrong. She realized it after going a week without running into her big brother. Zuko figured Zhao would come after him and ordered a course close to land. Much closer than Azula thought. By the time she realized this Zuko and his crew were almost a week a head of them.

But, Azula was also right. Zuko was heading for the Fire Nation, although whether he was still concerned with capturing the Avatar (or if he even remembered) still remained to be discovered. For the past two weeks, since Katara and Zuko figured out that Sarah, James, and Iroh set them up, Zuko had been only concering himself with Katara. He followed her almost everywhere (although she didn't know). He hadn't been this happy since before he was banished.

During this time Aang was busy learning Earthbending and looking for the girls. Little did he know that they weren't to worried about being found or not. Infact, Katara had hardly thought about him. Sarah on the other hand worried about his safety all the time but she knew he was fine so she didn't pay much attention to these worries.

Zuko was sure they were safe from Zhao (which they were) but wasn't happy to see another Fire Nation ship in the distance.

"Captain!" Zuko called.

"Yes Prince Zuko?" the captain replied.

"Speed up. We need to get out of the sight of that boat." Zuko ordered. He knew that a Fire Nation ship following them couldn't be good.

A few hours later the ship was even closer. Zuko wasn't happy.

"James!" he called.

"What Zuko?" James asked.

"We have to hide Sarah and Katara. There's a Fire Nation ship following us. It'll be on top of us in about 10 minutes. I won't let them take Katara from me."

"Alright, but first, we have to find them." Zuko and James began to hunt them down.

* * *

If Zuko and James had waited just three more minutes to leave the deck they would have been there when Sarah and Katara came up. 

"Where are the boys?" Katara asked.

"I don't know but look at that ship. It's really close. Too close. We have to find Zuko and James." Sarah told her. They went in search of their boyfriends.

About two minutes later they met on the deck while three figures rushed into the shadows.

"Katara! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you!" Zuko pulled her into an embrace.

"We've been looking for you too. What is the deal with that ship?" Sarah demanded.

"Hello little dove."

Sarah's eyes grew wide and she whipped around. "What are you doing here?" "He's come here with me." Azula showed herself. "Hello Zuzu." Zuko flinched at the horrid nickname.

"What do you want?" He snarled.

"I just want to kill you. That's what Daddy wants me to do to." She smirked when she saw the look on Zuko's face. "You still thought Daddy was going to let you come home didn't you. Be reasonable Zuko. If he wanted you home he would have lifted you banishment, Avatar or no. Face it Zuzu. I'm the favorite. He loves me not you. Nobody loves you."

"That's not true." Katara cried.

"Hello Katara. I always knew we'd meet again." Jet said.

"No," she whispered in fear.

"I'll fight before I let you kill me or hurt anyone." Zuko growled as he pushed Katara behind him. James did the same to Sarah.

"Silly Zuzu, I'm not going to kill you here. I'm going to take you home and kill you there along with Uncle James and Uncle Iroh. In Daddy's eyes you're all traitors."

"What about me and Katara? You have no power over us Princess Azula." Sarah said coldly.

"I've already promised Jet that he can have the water wretch. My father is very interested in having the fifth Lady Avatar." Sarah paled as Azula spoke. How did she know? Azula must have seen the question in her eyes. "Oh yes. I know thanks to Admiral Zhao and the letter he sent me." Sarah vowed to kill Zhao if she ever got the chance.

"You can't take us all. It's five against three. You can't win." Sarah told her.

"Oh yes we can. I'm a firebending prodigy. You can't beat me with your airbending. Zuko could never hope to be as good of a firebender as me. Iroh and James, the three of us can handle them. And the water wretch is as good as captured." As Azula talked Sarah slipped away to James' room where her stuff was. She grabbed her twin swords, much like the ones belonging to the Blue Spirit, and changed into a fighting outfit she often wore when she and Ursa were killing soldiers in bars. She put her hair up and covered her face in make-up. Then she went back to the door leading to the deck. She waited there with her swords sheathed. Soon she got tired of the Princess's chatting.

"So now, I'm going to capture you." Azula finished.

'_Finally. I thought I'd be hiding here for years.'_ Sarah thought.

She could hear the battle. She used her bending to blast open the door. Everyone stopped and stared at her. She drew the swords and went out to fight.

"So the Angel of Death has returned." Keith whispered.

"That's not possible. The Angel of Death is a firebender." Azula mumured.

"Fight me Azula! Fight me and try to win! I dare you!" Sarah challanged. Azula hesitated. She knew the stories about how the Angels of Death would come and seduce soldiers in taverns and then kill them. Here was the only one of the two left that hadn't been seen in years and she was challanging the Princess of the Fire Nation.

Keith snuck behinde Sarah and grabbed her. Azula was amazed at his strength. "This is the Angel of Death." He wiped the make-up from the girl's face. "More like Queen Sarah of the Air Nation, also known as my daughter." He put a knife to Sarah's throat and said, "You thought you could keep your identity a secret didn't you? Of course you did. You've killed so many Fire Nation soldiers or at least you did until Ursa left."

"How do you know about Ursa?" Sarah demanded.

"Why are you talking about my mother?" Azula screached.

"Ursa was an airbender too. She left you for the Fire Nation." Keith said.

"No, she left for love. She loved Ozai." Sarah argued.

"Are you sure she didn't just want to leave you?" Keith tormented.

"Ursa love me and Tei! She would have never left her family for anything except love!" Sarah fought his grip.

"I'm not so sure about that." Keith enjoyed this.

"She left her family to spend the rest of her life with him and he betrayed her! He killed her!" Sarah sceamed.

"No, he didn't kill her. I forced her to leave and live in exile." Sarah stopped squiming at her father's words. Tears filled her eyes.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Dad's going to kill you!" Azula sang in the doorway to Zuko as he sat in bed. "Really, he is."_

"_Ha ha Azula, nice try." Zuko told her._

"_Fine, don't believe me. I heard everything. Grandfather said Dad's punishment should fit his crime." Azula walked around the bed inmating the Fire Lord. "You must know the pain of losing a firstborn son by sacrificing your own."_

"_Liar."_

"_I'm only telling you for your own good. I know, maybe you could find a nice Earth Kingdome family to adopt you." She said sarcasticly._

"_Stop it. You're lying. Dad would never do that to me."_

"_Your father would never do what to you? What's going on here?" Ursa walked into the room._

"_I don't know." Azula said innocently._

"_It's time for a talk." Ursa pulled her daughter out of the room._

"_Azula aways lies. Azula aways lies." Zuko chanted to himself. Eventually he went back to sleep._

_Zuko felt a hand on his shoulder. "Mom?"_

"_Zuko, please my love, listen to me. Everything I have done I've done to protect you." Steps echoed in the halls. "Remember this Zuko, no matter how things may change, never forget who you are." Ursa turned and left while Zuko went back to sleep._

_Ursa walked down the hall with hurried steps and her hood up. She had to get out of the palace. She had killed Fire Lord Azulon right before going to say goodbye to Zuko. Ursa was going to look for Sarah. She would protect her from the Fire Nation. One day, Ursa hoped, she would be able to come back for Zuko._

_She went into the room she and Ozai shared and quietly left a note saying:_

I serve the Air Queen.

_She exited the room and headed for James' room. Once there she left him a note as well saying:_

The Lady Avatar lives.

_Then she hurried toward the door leading out of the palace. She didn't care if a soldier or two saw her leaving as long as they didn't learn where she was going. They wouldn't question it. More than likely they would think that she was going for a walk through the town._

"_Princess Ursa," called Keith._

_Ursa swore under her breath. Keith was the one soldier that she didn't want to see. She stopped and turned. "What is it Keith?"_

"_Where are you going?"_

"_I'm going for walk through the town. Why?"_

"_I just wanted to know if you know who wrote this. Do you?" Keith flashed her note for Ozai._

"_No, I don't." She lied._

"_Really? I could have sworn this was your handwriting. Are you sure you don't know who wrote it?" He knew it was her and Ursa knew it._

"_I resembles my writing." She admited._

"_Drop the act Ursa. We both know you wrote it. Now, where is the Air Queen? Where is my daughter?" He demanded answers._

"_I don't know." She insisted._

"_Yes you do. Tell me. I know you're an airbender. I've kept it a secret for you. I think you owe me. Tell me." Keith commanded her._

"_No," she spat._

_He grabbed her wrist. "If I were you I'd tell me."_

"_Nothing you can do can make me tell you."_

_He grasped her throat and began to strangle her. "I could kill you right now. All I'd have to do is lie and say I found your body. Or I could go to Ozai and tell him you were an airbender. He would pardon me saying that you were a traitor passing on information to the rebels."_

"_Forget it. All I care for is safe." She croaked. Ursa couldn't last much longer._

_He heard footsteps and carried her over to a dark corner. There he dropped her. She laid on her stomach trying to catch her breath. "Stay her Ursa. I'll be back for you in a minute." He left._

_Ursa focused on regaining her strength. When she felt she could deceive other soldiers she stood up and left the palace. She turned back for one last look at her life and plunged into the darkness._

_By the time Keith returned to the corner she was long gone. He wasn't too worried though. He had stangled her so long that he was sure she would die soon._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"You tried to kill her." Sarah whispered.

"My mother was weak. As much as I love her, she was an enemy from what I understand. It's good that she disappeared." Zuko couldn't believe that his sister was saying that.

"I'll kill you!" Sarah yelled and broke away from her father. "You don't deserve to live."

The good in Keith seized this moment to appear. "Little dove, I love you." He whispered so only Sarah could hear before the evil in him regained control.

Sarah rememberd what her mother had said and turned to Azula and Jet. The others joined in the battle. Unfortunately Azula won. She suceeded in knocking out Zuko and Iroh. Jet took out Katara and took advantage of Sarah's hesitation when Katara fell. Keith defeated James with much difficulty and many injuries.

The three took their captives to a cell and chained their hands and feet up on a wall. Jet took Katara to his room where he tied her to a chair. Azula ordered a course for the Fire Nation.

* * *

**Gidget: Ha ha, it took colocrystals two hours to rewrite everything!**

**Me: The sequel is going to be even later than I thought because of the rewriting. Forgive me.**


	26. Author's Note

_**Author's Note**_

The sequel has been posted. It's named Lady Avatar 2: Vengeance and Victory. I hope you all enjoy it and it will meet your expections. I hope you all loved it as much as I loved writing this story.

I'm thinking about starting a prequel to Lady Avatar called Before the War. I'm not sure about whether I will or not though. I would love to hear your opinions.

Have fun reading Lady Avatar 2: Vengeance and Victory!


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